Gaza city: A Palestinian died and three buildings sheltering displaced families collapsed on Thursday after heavy rains flooded western Gaza City, medics and witnesses said. A medical source told Anadolu that a Palestinian man, identified as Mahmoud Shubeir, was killed when a concrete wall collapsed on him in the Shati refugee camp in western Gaza City.
According to Anadolu Agency, Shubeir's house had been severely damaged during Israel's two-year war on the Gaza Strip. Witnesses reported that one of the weakened walls collapsed on Shubeir due to the heavy rains and flooding, resulting in his instant death. Additionally, three buildings sheltering displaced Palestinians also collapsed after the heavy rains flooded the area.
Gaza's Civil Defense has issued warnings to civilians about the risk of collapsing buildings, as the heavy rainfall has exacerbated cracks in walls and columns already compromised by Israeli bombardment. Spokesman Mahmoud Basal informed Anadolu that the organization received over 2,500 appeals from displaced families whose tents were flooded during the winter storm. Hundreds of tents across the enclave have been inundated for two consecutive days following heavy overnight rainfall. The storms are predicted to persist until Friday evening.
In response to the situation, Palestinian group Hamas has held Israel fully responsible for the 'tragic conditions' faced by Palestinians in Gaza, attributing it to Israel's prevention of the entry of shelter materials. Hamas has urged mediators and guarantors of the ceasefire agreement to apply pressure on the Israeli government to permit the entry of necessary shelter materials without restrictions and to open the Rafah border crossing in both directions.
Since Wednesday, thousands of tents housing survivors of Israel's war have been flooded, soaking bedding, clothing, and food supplies, leaving hundreds of Palestinian families exposed to the cold without adequate warmth or shelter. Gaza reportedly requires around 300,000 tents and prefabricated housing units to address the basic shelter needs of Palestinians following the destruction of infrastructure in two years of Israeli attacks.
The UN estimates the cost of reconstructing Gaza at approximately $70 billion, following two years of war in which Israel destroyed significant infrastructure. The assault has resulted in the deaths of more than 70,000 Palestinians and injuries to over 171,000 since October 2023. A ceasefire agreement, effective for two months, has temporarily halted the assault.