Winter rains in Gaza; displaced people face crisis in damaged tents
According to Alhurra, the first wave of winter rains in Gaza flooded thousands of tents, forcing residents to seek alternative shelter. The Hamas-run government media office reported that at least 70,000 tents were damaged within 12 hours. The Hamas-affiliated Civil Defense Directorate reported receiving 1,500 distress calls. Meanwhile, the Norwegian Refugee Council stated that approximately 1.65 million Palestinians in Gaza require winter shelter aid, but shortages of tents and tarpaulins, combined with rising prices, have exacerbated the situation. Local merchants complain of pressure from Hamas to control prices, while Hamas accuses Israel of blocking the entry of construction materials and shelter equipment. Conversely, the Israeli Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) denies these accusations, claiming that over 91,000 tents and thousands of trucks carrying winter aid have been allowed in, with restrictions imposed only due to security concerns to prevent military use of these materials. Nevertheless, the Shelter Cluster estimates that 54% of tents are in poor condition, and the funding gap for winter response efforts has reached $186.6 million.