Heavy rainfall triggered widespread flooding across Gaza on Tuesday (25 November 2025), submerging the tents of thousands of displaced Palestinians and signalling the start of a harsh winter with little protection from the elements.

Most of Gaza’s more than 2 million people were forced from their homes during Israel’s two-year air and ground offensive that followed Hamas’ October 2023 attack. Despite a ceasefire that has largely held since mid-October, the war destroyed the majority of homes and infrastructure, leaving families in flimsy tents and makeshift shelters.

“This suffering, this rain, and the real winter storms haven’t even begun yet,” said Um Ahmed Aowdah outside her flooded tent. “We haven’t received new tents or tarpaulins. Our tarp is two years old and completely worn out.”

Amjad Al-Shawa, director of the Palestinian NGOs Network, said at least 300,000 new tents are urgently needed for the roughly 1.5 million people who remain displaced.

The Palestinian Civil Defence reported that thousands of tents were flooded or damaged over the past week, with water levels rising 40–50 centimetres in some areas, completely washing away shelters. A field hospital was forced to suspend operations due to flooding.

The United Nations stated on Monday that it is trying to bring winter supplies into Gaza, but the number of aid trucks allowed in remains severely restricted by Israeli controls. Hamas-led authorities accuse Israel of blocking the volume of aid promised under the ceasefire agreement, while aid agencies say many essential items are still barred. Israel insists it is fully complying with the truce and that delays are caused by inefficiencies in distribution or theft by Hamas militants, an accusation Hamas denies.

As winter approaches, humanitarian organisations warn that the combination of destroyed infrastructure, restricted aid, and extreme weather could turn the current crisis into a full-scale catastrophe for Gaza’s displaced population.