Torrential Rains Compound Gaza’s Humanitarian Disaster, UN Sounds Alarm

Geneva: Torrential downpours over the past week have plunged hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians in the Gaza Strip into a deepening humanitarian crisis, UN agencies warned on Thursday. The relentless rains have compounded the already dire living conditions in overcrowded tents and makeshift shelters, with the UN’s children’s agency, UNICEF, describing the situation as “horrendous.”

“Rainfall has been so intense that I’ve seen up to 15cm (6 inches) of water on the ground near my office,” said Jonathan Crickx, a UNICEF spokesman. “We’re extremely concerned that children in wet clothing will succumb to hypothermia and other illnesses.” The Gaza health ministry, run by Hamas, reported that a baby has died from hypothermia, and at least 11 others perished in building collapses triggered by the severe weather.

Despite a nine-week ceasefire, the delivery of humanitarian aid remains woefully inadequate, agencies say. Since the truce began, the UN has increased supplies of tents, blankets, and clothing, but the scale of need far outstrips resources. An estimated 55,000 families—many already displaced by conflict—have seen their shelters and belongings damaged or destroyed. Over 40 emergency shelters were flooded this week, forcing desperate families to relocate yet again.

“The situation is catastrophic,” officials stressed. “Urgent access is needed to prevent further loss of life.” The international community is urged to act as Gaza’s vulnerable population faces a brutal convergence of conflict, displacement, and nature’s fury.