UN warns half of Gaza's displaced population at high risk of flooding

The United Nations has issued a stark warning that nearly half of Gaza's displaced population is at high risk of flooding as severe winter weather compounds the humanitarian catastrophe. UN analysis indicates roughly 850,000 displaced people, living in over 760 locations, are in areas highly vulnerable to floods following days of torrential rain.

Deaths from cold and collapsing infrastructure

The extreme conditions have already turned deadly. At least three children, including an infant, have died from hypothermia in recent days, according to hospital reports. Separately, 14 people have been killed by collapsing walls and buildings damaged in the war, which have fallen onto adjacent tents during the storms. Local authorities report at least 13 buildings have collapsed due to the severe weather.

Widespread destruction of temporary shelters

The scale of devastation to already precarious living conditions is immense. The mayor of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, Alaa al-Batta, stated that over 300,000 tents have been either completely submerged, partially flooded, or torn apart by the storms. This destruction leaves a massive portion of the displaced population without even basic shelter against the cold and rain.

UN assessment and response efforts

UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq stated that teams responded to more than 160 flood alerts on Thursday, assessing conditions for over 16,000 families. The flooding crisis dramatically worsens the already dire lack of food, clean water, and medicine in Gaza, creating a multi-layered emergency that humanitarian agencies are struggling to address with limited access and resources.