Welcome to Roya News, stay informed with the most important news at your fingertips.

1
Image 1 from gallery

'Israelis' mock flooded displacement tents in Gaza

Listen to this story:
0:00

Note: AI technology was used to generate this article’s audio.

Published :  
5 hours ago|
  • 'Israeli' activists sparked outrage after mocking Palestinian families whose displacement tents were flooded by Gaza's first winter storm, with one reportedly describing the scenes as "wonderful."
  • At least 70,000 tents were flooded within 12 hours, according to Gaza's Government Media Office.
  • Civil Defense received around 1,500 distress calls as displaced families struggled to escape rising water and protect their belongings.
  • More than one million displaced Palestinians face winter-related risks, amid shortages of shelter materials, fuel and emergency equipment.

'Israeli' activists have sparked widespread outrage on social media after sharing mocking comments about Palestinian displacement tents flooded by the first winter storm to hit the Gaza Strip, with one reportedly describing the scenes as "wonderful."

The comments came as heavy rainfall inundated displacement camps across the besieged territory, leaving thousands of Palestinian families struggling to find shelter from the cold and rain.

According to Gaza's Government Media Office, at least 70,000 tents were flooded within the first 12 hours of the storm, affecting tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians. The flooding damaged temporary shelters, soaked mattresses and blankets, and destroyed some families' remaining belongings.

Gaza's Civil Defense received approximately 1,500 distress calls within 10 hours as rainwater flooded displacement camps and forced families out of their tents.

Civil Defense spokesperson Mahmoud Basal said emergency teams struggled to respond because of shortages of equipment and resources needed to pump out floodwater.

Water levels in some shelter locations reportedly rose by 30 to 40 centimeters, while several temporary shelters were completely flooded, forcing residents to seek refuge elsewhere.

The storm has further exposed the deteriorating humanitarian conditions facing displaced Palestinians, many of whom have spent months living in damaged tents without adequate protection from extreme weather.

According to humanitarian assessments cited by Arab News, approximately 1.2 million Palestinians, including more than 560,000 children, were living in shelters classified as critical or catastrophic.

Save the Children also warned that more than half a million children in Gaza face another winter in tents or makeshift shelters. The organization said restrictions on shelter supplies and reconstruction materials have left families without adequate alternatives.

The United Nations has also warned that around 950,000 displaced people are living in areas exposed to flooding, with more than 400,000 in locations considered particularly vulnerable.

As winter conditions worsen, displaced families continue to call for tents, tarpaulins, blankets, mattresses and mobile homes to replace shelters that offer little protection against heavy rain and strong winds.