Gaza's Displaced Face Flooded Tents as Winter Rains Expose Critical Shelter Shortages

Displaced families in Gaza are in urgent need of caravans, mobile homes, and tarpaulins as winter rains flood their makeshift shelters, highlighting a severe lack of adequate protection. In the az-Zawayda area of the Gaza Strip, Jaber al-Kaseeh and his family were awakened Saturday night as heavy rains caused water to rush into their tent. The flooding soaked mattresses, carpets, blankets, and spoiled their limited food supplies.

"Everyone woke up and stayed awake, asking their neighbours about the extent of damage and inquiring about children," Jaber, in his 70s, told Al Jazeera, describing the area outside the displacement camp as a swimming pool. Gaza’s Government Media Office reported that over 70,000 tents have been flooded since Friday, with hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians residing in areas highly vulnerable to further inundation.

The article notes that more than a year after a ceasefire deal, Israel has restricted the entry of essential goods, including 60,000 mobile homes and 200,000 tents. Only 20,000 tents have been permitted, while mobile homes remain on the Egyptian side of the border, some for over two years.

This marks the fourth winter Jaber and his family have spent in a tent in az-Zawayda. Originally from Beit Lahiya in northern Gaza, Jaber has been displaced multiple times due to the ongoing conflict. The war, which has drawn global condemnation, has displaced over 90 percent of Palestinians, many repeatedly.

Jaber stated that his camp experienced three to four floods last winter, forcing many families to relocate. Although around 40 tents remain, the current flooding has severely damaged them, leaving them "damaged, torn and covered in mud." He expressed an urgent need for tents, tarpaulins, plastic sheets, mattresses, and blankets, lamenting that despite hearing about distributions, they have received nothing. Hopes for promised mobile homes and temporary housing units under the ceasefire have been dashed, with Jaber calling them "just words in the air."

Jihad Dawwas, also displaced from northern Gaza, shared his family's plight, left without adequate shelter amidst heavy rain and strong winds battering their tent. His children were forced to sleep standing up after their mattresses and plastic coverings were soaked, leading some to fall ill from the cold and storm.

Om Hani Hamouda, displaced from Beit Lahiya and now in al-Zawayda, dreams of replacing her worn-out tent with a caravan. "We did not expect that the first rainfall would leave us in this condition," she told Al Jazeera. "These tents do not protect us from the cold, storms or rain. Whenever winter comes, everyone holds their breath." She, too, had hoped the ceasefire would facilitate a return to northern Gaza or provide caravans and building materials, but has seen no progress.

Ramy Abdu, chairman of the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor, stated that significant quantities of shelter materials are stranded at Gaza's borders due to Israeli restrictions. He highlighted that over 1.5 million displaced Palestinians face another winter in inadequate tents, and even those in damaged houses and apartments are exposed to harsh weather. Abdu emphasized Israel's legal obligation under the Fourth Geneva Convention to ensure essential supplies reach civilians.

Dawwas, sheltering with his seven children and three orphaned nieces and nephews, recounted buying his own tent and receiving no aid. "A tent cannot replace a home, not even by one percent," he said, describing their lives as a "daily hell" and feeling "completely forgotten." He questioned the difficulty in obtaining basic shelter supplies like tents and tarpaulins, asking for a dignified life with proper shelter.