Gaza Municipality issued an urgent warning on Wednesday that a powerful polar low-pressure winter storm is posing a severe threat to hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians, as widespread destruction of infrastructure has left vast segments of the population without basic protection.

Municipal spokesperson Husni Muhanna said recurring winter storms have become a direct danger to civilian life, particularly for families living in overcrowded displacement camps that lack durable shelter. He warned that the current weather system, accompanied by heavy rainfall, strong winds and falling temperatures, could trigger life-threatening conditions across the Strip.

Muhanna stated that Israeli military operations have destroyed more than 85 percent of the municipality’s operational equipment, severely limiting the capacity of emergency and rescue teams to respond to flooding, pump stormwater, or assist residents trapped in flooded areas.

He reported that thousands of tents across Gaza have already been submerged by floodwaters in recent hours, leaving families exposed to freezing temperatures inside makeshift shelters incapable of withstanding harsh weather. “We are moving toward a compound humanitarian disaster,” he warned.

The municipality also confirmed a critical shortage of essential materials and equipment needed for emergency operations, appealing for immediate international pressure to allow the entry of rescue equipment, shelter materials, and vital humanitarian supplies into the Strip.

Earlier data from the Government Media Office indicated that Gaza currently requires nearly 300,000 tents and prefabricated housing units to provide even minimal shelter for displaced communities, following prolonged destruction of infrastructure, public services, and residential neighborhoods.

Local authorities warned that without urgent international intervention, the impact of the storm could be deadly for large numbers of displaced civilians. (ILKHA)