A Palestinian woman walks through a rainstorm past buildings destroyed in Israeli strikes in the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood of Gaza City, Friday, Nov. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)
Cold weather and steady downpours on Nov. 17 further deepened the already grim conditions for displaced Palestinian families in Gaza, with Israel still preventing tents and other essential shelter materials from entering the enclave.
Winter's first strong rainfalls sent water cascading through parts of Gaza's sprawling tent camps over the weekend and on Nov. 17. The war-torn territory struggles to cope with flooding and devastated infrastructure after two years of war.
Residents attempted to dig trenches to keep the water from flooding their tents, as intermittent rain dripped through tears in tarpaulins and makeshift shelters.
The bursts soaked families' scant belongings. Strong winds can also topple tents and hamper attempts to gather scarce food and supplies.
Two weeks ago, Bassil Naggar bought a new tent on the black market for the equivalent of about $712, because the summer sun had worn his old tent thin. Still, rainwater was leaking through.
Barefoot children splashed in puddles as women made tea outside under dark clouds. Some people tried to shelter in destroyed buildings, even those at risk of collapse, with gaping holes covered by pieces of plastic.
Following the floods, the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) warned that 13,000 families in Gaza, whose homes were destroyed during two years of Israeli bombardment, are now enduring bitterly cold temperatures and flooding in severely inadequate makeshift shelters.
According to UN data, more than 80 percent of all buildings and housing units in Gaza have been damaged or demolished since the start of the war.
Despite the ceasefire - intended to allow desperately needed aid into the enclave - Israel continues to block the entry of tents and mobile homes into Gaza.
The Israeli defense body in charge of humanitarian aid in Gaza said it is allowing in winterization materials including blankets and heavy tarps, but aid organizations warned the efforts are far from sufficient when winter temperatures plummet and the wind whips off the Mediterranean.
This comes as Israeli forces killed at least three Palestinians in Gaza on Nov. 16, after carrying out strikes east of Khan Younis in the south of Gaza. Israeli attacks also targeted Gaza City’s Zeitoun neighborhood as well as areas near Rafah in the south.
