Dispute Between Israel and Hamas Arises Over Protecting Gazans During Flood
Winter’s opening storm swept across Gaza on Saturday, sending torrents of water through the vast tent city in the Al-Mawasi coastal zone and triggering a new media push by Hamas as images of the damage circulated widely online. Heavy rain poured through ripped tarps, soaked families’ belongings, and left residents scrambling to dig shallow channels in a losing effort to redirect the flow away from their shelters, The Associated Press reported.
The Al-Mawasi district, designated by Israel early in the war as a humanitarian zone, had been little more than sand dunes before hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians moved in. Aid groups say most shelters are makeshift tents that offer minimal protection against Mediterranean storms. The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) has noted that winter supplies such as thick tarps and blankets have been permitted into the Strip, though aid organizations argue that demand far exceeds what has arrived, according to the Times of Israel.
Local authorities reported widespread flooding throughout Gaza over the past 24 hours, with residents describing their camps as “mud pools.” Videos showing flooded walkways, collapsed tents, and children standing in cold water spread quickly across social media. They were immediately incorporated into a coordinated messaging effort by Hamas, its media office, and Gaza’s civil defense. The campaign, titled “Gaza Is Sinking,” frames Israel as deliberately obstructing life-saving supplies and calls for urgent international action.
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Hamas issued a formal statement asserting that tents and belongings were destroyed by the storms and claiming that many displaced families were left with nothing to shield them from the winter weather. The group blamed Israel for blocking the entry of tents, caravans, and other essentials, saying hundreds of thousands of structures are needed.
Gaza’s civil defense spokesman told Al Jazeera that “entire families drowned” and alleged that parts of Gaza City were underwater within hours. He described camp conditions as “worse than the war,” insisting that local responders cannot manage the aftermath.
Municipal officials in Khan Yunis said roughly 900,000 displaced people are now packed into the Al-Mawasi area and warned of growing risks with another storm approaching. Palestinian officials in Ramallah appealed for US and Arab intervention to push Israel to approve more shelters.
Israeli defense officials counter that Hamas is exploiting genuine hardship to intensify global pressure on Jerusalem and restore its own public standing after months of conflict.
