Israeli Aid Blockade Worsens Gaza Flooding Crisis
Torrential rains killed six people in Gaza as Israeli authorities block 150,000 tents and emergency supplies from entering the flood-stricken territory.
Torrential rain and strong winds beginning November 6, 2026, caused severe flooding across the Gaza Strip, killing at least six people. In Deir al-Balah, a sand embankment collapsed onto tents, killing a woman and four children, while an infant drowned. The Gaza Government Media Office reported that 70,000 tents flooded within 12 hours, leaving approximately 350,000 displaced Palestinians exposed to the elements.
The Government of Israel is accused by humanitarian organizations of exacerbating the crisis by destroying sanitation infrastructure and blocking the entry of 150,000 tents and emergency aid. More than 117,000 of these tents, supplied by the Egyptian Relief Committee, remain stalled in El Arish, Egypt. UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher stated that delays linked to Israel's government formation process were "not an acceptable excuse" for withholding winter supplies.
The Palestinian Civil Defence reported responding to only 10% of 2,000 emergency calls due to fuel shortages and Israeli restrictions on machinery. Simultaneously, UNICEF has spent over a year seeking approval to import equipment to repair the Sheikh Radwan stormwater basin in Gaza City. The World Health Organization warned that floodwaters mixing with sewage increase the risk of life-threatening diseases, including polio and hepatitis A, among malnourished infants in overcrowded shelters.
