GAZA CITY, Palestine 

Displaced Palestinians in Gaza endured freezing temperatures and heavy rainfall which flooded their tents and the remains of their bombed-out homes on the first night of Ramadan.

The worsening humanitarian crisis is compounded by Israeli delays in allowing the entry of temporary housing and essential reconstruction equipment, as stipulated in the ceasefire agreement.

A ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement has been in place since last month, pausing Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza that has killed more than 48,360 people, mostly women and children, and left the enclave in ruins.

As families prepared for suhoor (pre-dawn meal), rainwater seeped into makeshift tents, drenching personal belongings and forcing many, especially women and children, to flee with no alternative shelter. Meanwhile, those who had returned to the ruins of their homes found themselves struggling against water leaking through cracked walls and shattered ceilings. 

Lack of resources deepens hardship

Flooded streets further exacerbated the situation, as Gaza’s emergency and municipal teams worked with extremely limited resources due to the ongoing Israeli blockade.

Gaza Municipality spokesperson Hosni Mahna told Anadolu: "Israel’s failure to implement its commitments under the ceasefire agreement has left our teams unable to adequately respond to the crisis."

According to Gaza’s Government Media Office, over 88% of the enclave’s infrastructure, including homes, hospitals, and essential services, has been destroyed in more than 15 months of Israeli genocidal war.

Mahna emphasized that without access to mobile housing and heavy machinery, displaced Palestinians are left to "face their fate alone."

“Despite repeated calls for humanitarian aid, Israel continues to obstruct the entry of relief supplies, leaving tens of thousands of people exposed to rain and cold,” he added.

"What should have been a night of peace and worship turned into hours of suffering and freezing temperatures," he said.

Despite their best efforts, municipal teams face overwhelming challenges due to the extensive destruction and lack of resources.

“Israel denies us even the most basic means of survival, while we do our best to ease the suffering with the little we have," Mahna said, calling for immediate international intervention to pressure Israel to allow in humanitarian supplies. 

A crisis spiraling out of control

The worsening weather comes amid an already dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, where Israel’s blockade has led to severe shortages of food, medical supplies, and relief aid.

Health conditions among displaced Palestinians continue to deteriorate, with humanitarian organizations warning of a deepening crisis.

The ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas was supposed to provide relief. The agreement outlined a phased truce, with each stage lasting 42 days, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has blocked negotiations for the second phase, fearing political backlash from his far-right coalition partners.

Under the agreement, the second phase would require Israel to withdraw its forces from Gaza and end its military campaign -- terms Netanyahu is unwilling to accept -- putting the fragile ceasefire at risk. With the first phase of the agreement set to expire by the end of Saturday, no breakthrough has been reached for the next stage.

In November 2024, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.