Heavy rains flooded thousands of tents in Gaza on Saturday, November 7, 2026. Water entered the shelters of displaced families, wetting their blankets, mattresses and personal effects. Relief reports a large number of calls for help, while pumping equipment and shelter stocks remain insufficient.
Tents flooded in Gaza
The field findings published on Saturday describe water-invading camps, especially in low-lying areas. Families are trying to protect their affairs and make their shelters more habitable. Makeshift tents, made of thin fabrics and tarpaulins, offer little protection against prolonged rain.
The Hamas-controlled media office of the Gaza government reports 70,000 tents flooded in 12 hours. This is his estimate, without independent confirmation of this total. Civil Defence reports that it has received over 1,500 distress calls since the beginning of the weather episode.
The flooding of tents does not concern only their structure. It also deprives the occupants of dry bedding and damages the few properties they have kept after their displacement. For families already in precarious shelters, the possibility of joining safer housing remains limited.
Rain also weakens damaged buildings
Two Palestinians were injured in the northern part of the territory following the collapse of a wall, according to information gathered on the spot and broadcast on Saturday morning. The building had been damaged during Israeli bombings. The rains have further weakened its structure.
This episode illustrates another risk than the rise of water in the camps. Constructions already damaged can offer an apparent refuge, while presenting a danger of collapse. The available figures do not yet make it possible to make a comprehensive assessment of the damage caused by the weather.
Insufficient stocks before the weather
Response difficulties were documented before Saturday’s rain. In its report dated 5 November and published the following day, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs already described serious shortcomings in the preparation for the winter.
As of 1 November, humanitarian partners estimated the needs at approximately 121,000 tents and 561,000 tarpaulins. Their stocks in Gaza were only about 2,800 tents and 76,000 tarpaulins. These data describe the situation before the floods, not the number of shelters destroyed on Saturday.
The same report indicated that restrictions on the entry of engine oil and spare parts threatened essential services. The storm and wastewater disposal systems were already experiencing failures. Lack of funding, delayed procurement and entry permits also slowed the arrival of accommodation equipment.
For its part, COGAT, an Israeli military agency responsible for coordinating aid, announced on Friday the entry of four additional pumping trucks, through the International Committee of the Red Cross. According to this agency, they added to eight vehicles that had arrived the previous month to support sanitation.
In the affected camps, immediate needs include sheltering, drainage and replacement of wet effects. Assistance continues to be provided, while the extent of the damage and the number of families in need of relocation remain to be determined.
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