Gaza floods leave 70,000 tents ruined as aid blocked at border

Heavy rains have flooded approximately 70,000 tents across the Gaza Strip, leaving tens of thousands of displaced people exposed to mud and cold, with at least five deaths reported, including three children and two women, after a sand collapse in Deir al-Balah. Humanitarian worker Sami Abu Omar of Italian NGO ACS described the situation in Khan Younis as a nightmare, noting tents are made of plastic and unable to withstand the weather. He stated that despite a ceasefire, no reconstruction materials or humanitarian aid are entering Gaza, with 200,000 tents reportedly blocked at borders. Local authorities have warned displaced people to avoid setting up tents near sand accumulations, while aid organizations struggle with severe equipment shortages. Approximately 30,000 homes are at risk of collapse, and over 9,000 people remain buried under rubble due to a lack of debris removal equipment.