GAZA CITY, Palestine

Dozens of tents and shelters housing displaced civilians were flooded in the Gaza Strip amid rainfall and cold weather, the Civil Defense Agency said on Thursday.

Civil defense spokesman Mahmoud Basal called the situation in Gaza “catastrophic as rains continue to pour over the heads of displaced Palestinians whose homes were destroyed.” 

“Many tents were submerged as shelter centers lack even the most basic means of resilience against extreme weather conditions,” he told Anadolu.

Basal said the absence of proper tents capable of protecting displaced families from harsh weather is worsening the situation.

“Many face severe hardships due to food shortages, lack of clean water and medicine, and insufficient heating supplies,” he added.

The spokesman appealed to the international community and humanitarian organizations to immediately intervene “to rescue the affected population and pressure Israel to open crossings and allow the entry of essential aid.”

“This includes weather-resistant tents and relief supplies, which are critical for protecting children and the elderly from freezing temperatures and heavy rains.”

Israel has effectively turned Gaza into the world’s largest open-air prison, maintaining an 18-year blockade and forcing nearly 2 million of its 2.3 million residents into displacement amid dire shortages of food, water, and medicine due to deliberate restrictions.

A ceasefire agreement has been in place in Gaza since Jan. 19, suspending Israel’s genocidal war that has killed more than 48,200 people, mostly women and children, and left the enclave in ruins.