Seawater damages the tents of displaced people on the beach in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, November 25, 2024. (Doaa Albaz/Activestills)
The first heavy rainfall of winter arrived in Gaza this week, flooding tent encampments across the besieged Strip. With approximately 90 percent of the enclave’s population having been displaced from their homes, often several times, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are living in makeshift tents that are ill-equipped to withstand the elements. Gaza’s Government Media Office estimates that around 10,000 tents were either washed away or damaged due to this week’s storm.
One of the areas worst hit was a displacement camp that has sprung up along the beach in Khan Younis, southern Gaza. Many tents here were completely washed away by the rising tide, leaving residents with no shelter whatsoever. Civil defense authorities issued urgent warnings to remaining residents to evacuate due to fears that additional strong winds and storms could destroy what little is left.
For children living in these tents, the arrival of winter exacerbates their suffering and leaves them extremely vulnerable to respiratory infections and hypothermia. The damage to their flimsy shelters further exposes them to the severe cold and ongoing impacts of Israel’s onslaught, as their families struggle to survive another harsh winter.
Source: PHOTOS: Rainstorm devastates Khan Younis displacement camp
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