Weather disaster hits Gaza: woman killed, thousands of tents flooded

A Palestinian woman lost her life and multiple members of her family were injured on Sunday when a structurally compromised building collapsed amid a powerful storm sweeping the Gaza Strip. Medical sources reported that the 30-year-old woman was in a tent adjacent to the damaged home in the Al-Rimal area of Gaza City when a wall gave way.

Storm Wreaks Havoc on Displacement Camps

Beyond the single collapse, the severe weather system has created a broader disaster for the hundreds of thousands of internally displaced Palestinians. Heavy rainfall and strong winds, which began on Saturday night, have flooded and blown away thousands of tents that serve as temporary shelters. In the southern city of Khan Younis, rising sea waves inundated hundreds of tents pitched along the beach, destroying meager belongings and leaving families exposed to the elements.

A Population Living in Perilous Conditions

The storm has brutally exposed the precarious living conditions endured by Gaza's displaced community. With most formal buildings damaged or destroyed by months of Israeli military operations, people are forced to live either in worn-out tents or within high-risk structures that are vulnerable to further collapse. The current weather poses a grave danger to these populations, who lack adequate shelter, drainage, or protection from the cold and rain.

Context of the Ongoing War

The building collapse occurred in a territory that has been subjected to intense Israeli bombardment since October 2023. The assault has resulted in massive casualties, with Palestinian health authorities reporting over 71,200 fatalities and more than 171,200 injuries. The offensive has also left Gaza's civilian infrastructure in ruins, severely limiting resilience against natural disasters like storms and compounding an already catastrophic humanitarian emergency.