A powerful storm is set to hit Gaza, threatening hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians living in fragile tents amid severe shortages of shelter, heating, and basic infrastructure.
Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are bracing for an imminent humanitarian emergency as a powerful low-pressure system is expected to strike the region in the coming hours, bringing violent winds and heavy rainfall.
According to weather forecasts reported by Al-Jazeera, wind speeds could reach up to 100 kilometers per hour, accompanied by thunderstorms and rainfall ranging between 20 and 50 millimeters. The severe weather threatens to damage or completely uproot the tents sheltering displaced families across the territory.
The storm is expected to coincide with a sharp drop in temperatures, while rainwater is likely to accumulate in large pools due to muddy ground conditions caused by widespread destruction left by the Israeli occupation.
Earlier on Saturday, the North Gaza Municipality warned that the governorate has been rendered uninhabitable due to extensive destruction, urging international organizations to intervene urgently in accordance with international law to prevent further loss of life.
One of the worst rainstorms Gaza has seen in years began this morning. The rain hasn’t stopped — tents are collapsing, and camps are flooding.
If you see this, please reply with a dot.https://t.co/LRtfeTfLTb pic.twitter.com/J206N3SNJQ
— Dr.Motaz🍉🇵🇸 (@MotazSaleh2001) December 27, 2025
The municipality called for immediate support to secure fuel, spare parts, and essential equipment needed to operate water wells, waste collection services, and sewage pumping systems.
Warning of severe consequences, Amjad al-Shawa, head of the Palestinian NGO Network in Gaza, said that while efforts are underway to mitigate the impact of the storm, available resources are insufficient to confront its severity.
“We are trying to stabilize the tents and open water drainage channels, but this low-pressure system is causing widespread damage,” al-Shawa told Al Jazeera. “Strong winds have torn down many tents, while heavy rains have flooded others.”
Al-Shawa noted that approximately 900,000 Palestinians are currently living in tents across Gaza, adding that entire families have been left without shelter after their tents were destroyed during recent storms.
Children with disabilities cry as their tent floods in Gaza, amid urgent pleas to save them from the harsh weather and the siege. pic.twitter.com/m02iIZtiKi
— TIMES OF GAZA (@Timesofgaza) December 11, 2025
He further warned that the situation is being compounded by the spread of winter illnesses amid severe shortages of medicine and the near-collapse of the health sector. Sewage leaks and waste accumulation in displacement areas have made emergency interventions increasingly difficult, particularly as the occupation continues to restrict the entry of caravans and heavy equipment.
Al-Shawa cautioned that the approaching storm could further deteriorate living conditions and pose a direct threat to life, especially for children, who are already suffering from a lack of heating supplies. He stressed that Gaza should be treated as a disaster zone, calling for urgent action to rehabilitate water and sewage networks and allow in the equipment needed to respond to the crisis.
(PC, AJA)
