The UN International Organization for Migration (IOM) has warned that hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians in Gaza are at risk after heavy rains flooded tents and makeshift shelters across the enclave.
Torrential downpours on Thursday inundated hundreds of tents, with local health officials reporting the death of a baby girl due to exposure. The IOM said nearly 795,000 displaced people living in low-lying, rubble-filled areas face heightened danger from flooding and waterborne diseases amid poor drainage and waste management.
The agency said essential materials needed to reinforce shelters — including timber, plywood, sandbags, and water pumps — have been delayed from entering Gaza due to access restrictions. Supplies already in the enclave, such as waterproof tents and tarpaulins, could not withstand the storm.
“Families are trying to protect their children with whatever they have,” IOM Director General Amy Pope said.
Israel says it is meeting its humanitarian obligations and has accused aid agencies of inefficiency, while UN officials insist access restrictions continue to block critical supplies.
Despite a ceasefire holding since October, living conditions remain dire. UN and Palestinian officials say at least 300,000 new tents are urgently needed for the 1.5 million people still displaced by the war.
Torrential downpours on Thursday inundated hundreds of tents, with local health officials reporting the death of a baby girl due to exposure. The IOM said nearly 795,000 displaced people living in low-lying, rubble-filled areas face heightened danger from flooding and waterborne diseases amid poor drainage and waste management.
The agency said essential materials needed to reinforce shelters — including timber, plywood, sandbags, and water pumps — have been delayed from entering Gaza due to access restrictions. Supplies already in the enclave, such as waterproof tents and tarpaulins, could not withstand the storm.
“Families are trying to protect their children with whatever they have,” IOM Director General Amy Pope said.
Israel says it is meeting its humanitarian obligations and has accused aid agencies of inefficiency, while UN officials insist access restrictions continue to block critical supplies.
Despite a ceasefire holding since October, living conditions remain dire. UN and Palestinian officials say at least 300,000 new tents are urgently needed for the 1.5 million people still displaced by the war.
