Netanyahu Denies Responsibility for Gaza Flooding Crisis

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denied responsibility for a worsening humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip after severe flooding devastated refugee camps and makeshift shelters. His office rejected accusations of negligence, claiming Hamas steals humanitarian aid to fund military infrastructure and has failed to surrender its weapons.

The Board of Peace, a US-led body established by President Donald Trump to oversee postwar reconstruction, described Israel's response to the flooding as insufficient. The organization urged Israel to act immediately to authorize the entry of winterization and humanitarian supplies. While the Board of Peace also criticized Hamas for failing to meet its commitments, it asserted that Israeli restrictions have delayed the transfer of power to a technocratic Palestinian administration.

Further accusations came from UNICEF, which claimed Israel blocked a $3 million project intended to repair the Sheikh Radwan stormwater basin in Gaza City. These developments follow reports from a UN Commission of Inquiry alleging that Israel continued committing genocidal acts in Gaza after an October 2025 ceasefire.