The first winter storm in Gaza has flooded tens of thousands of tents and homes over the weekend, soaking the mattresses, blankets, and clothes displaced families rely on to stay warm. At least 26,000 households have appealed to humanitarian organizations for help, and far more have likely been impacted. At least five people, including children, died on Sunday when a rain-soaked embankment collapsed onto tents south of Deir al-Balah, Gaza's civil defense service said.

"The ceasefire has not brought shelter to the almost 2 million people still displaced in Gaza," said Bob Kitchen, Vice President for Emergencies at the IRC.

What happened when the winter storm hit Gaza?

Man holding a shovel stands on top of a collapsed earth embankment covering white tents under a blue sky.
A man stands on a mound of earth that has buried tents in a Gaza displacement camp after heavy rain.

Heavy rain fell across Gaza over the weekend, and on Sunday it turned deadly. South of Deir al-Balah, an embankment weakened by the rain gave way and buried tents, killing at least five people, including children, according to Gaza’s civil defense service. IRC staff were hit too: dozens said their tents, or homes that were already badly damaged, flooded completely.

How many families in Gaza were affected by flooding?

Wide view of thousands of makeshift tents stretching to the horizon under a grey sky.
Storm clouds gather over a sprawling tent camp in Gaza, where displaced families are sheltering.

At least 26,000 households in Gaza have asked humanitarian organizations for help since the storm, and the real number affected is likely much higher. With almost 2 million people still displaced, tens of thousands of tents and homes took on water over the weekend, leaving many families without dry bedding, blankets or clothes as winter sets in.

A man in dark clothing stands next to a large pool of standing water surrounded by white tents.
A man stands beside floodwater pooled between tents after the weekend's storm.

Why is rainwater flooding tents in Gaza?

Person in a yellow raincoat uses a shovel to clear a stream of floodwater beside a corrugated metal wall.
A resident in a yellow raincoat digs a channel to drain water away from tents.

Pumping and drainage systems are failing without fuel, engine oil and spare parts, so water pooled around tents and blocked roads. Much of Gaza's water, sewage and drainage network was damaged during the war, leaving rainwater trapped around tents and shelters.

Man in an orange shirt bends over to scoop thick mud from a flooded lane between grey tents.
A man clears mud from the narrow path between tents by hand.

What is it like for families sheltering in tents during the storm?

A small child steps through a wide stretch of muddy water running between rows of tents.
A child walks through a flooded road between rows of tents.

On Saturday night, IRC staff in Gaza described hearing families praying and children crying out over the sound of the rain.

"We've lost our tents. We don't even have a dry place to sleep." — Mona, IRC staff member in Gaza

Child with a blue backpack walks along the edge of a flooded area, reflected in the water.
A child carrying a backpack walks past standing water in a Gaza camp.

Is there enough shelter for families in Gaza this winter?

Aerial-style view of a dense camp of tents and tarpaulin shelters beneath heavy clouds.
Makeshift shelters cover the landscape as winter sets in across Gaza.

The storm hit a shelter response that was already stretched thin. As of November 1, the shelter cluster, which coordinates shelter aid in Gaza, estimated that families still needed about 121,000 tents, 561,000 tarpaulins, 57,000 emergency shelter kits and 1.7 million mattresses. Aid groups had about 2,800 tents in stock inside Gaza and no emergency shelter kits.

Severe import restrictions by the Israeli authorities are keeping shelter materials out of Gaza.

A narrow lane of churned mud and water runs between torn, sagging tents.
Worn tents line a muddy lane after days of rain.

Families now face a fourth winter in tents and damaged buildings. Most tents in Gaza are designed to last around 6 months, but many families are still sheltering in tents from last winter or earlier, leaving them worn, torn and unable to protect people from the elements.

A woman stands in a narrow muddy channel between two tents made of plastic sheeting.
A woman walks along a waterlogged trench between tent walls.

Beyond tents, they need materials to repair leaking roofs and dry mattresses and blankets to replace those ruined by floodwater.

What do families in Gaza need now?

Several people use brooms and tools to push water along a muddy lane lined with tents and palm trees.
Residents sweep floodwater from a lane between tents.

"Families in Gaza lost the little they had in a single weekend of rain, and there is little left to replace it. They need tents that can withstand heavy rain, and they need them now. Shelter materials such as tools and fixings for the repair of tents must be allowed into Gaza, so families are not left facing another winter without a dry place to sleep." — Bob Kitchen, Vice President for Emergencies, IRC

Shelter materials must be allowed in at scale, and donors should fully fund the winter response before the next storms hit.

How is the IRC helping people in Gaza?

The IRC is on the ground in Gaza, working to rehabilitate water infrastructure, maintaining critical water supply, and distributing hygiene kits.

A ceasefire alone will not address the massive needs in Gaza, as nearly all civilians in Gaza are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.

Donate: Despite restrictions on aid delivery, the IRC and our partners continue to provide lifesaving services across the occupied Palestinian territory, including clean water and sanitation, malnutrition screening, child protection, support for women and girls, and emergency sexual and reproductive health care. With operations in more than 40 countries around the world, your donation to the IRC will deliver critical aid where it’s needed most.

$80 can provide medical care for a malnourished child throughout the course of treatment.

$250 can provide a family with the most essential necessities for survival for a month.

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