The humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip has sharply worsened with the arrival of a powerful winter storm, leaving tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians exposed to flooding, freezing temperatures, and life-threatening conditions, Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem warned on Monday evening.

In a statement, Qassem said the storm has inundated the makeshift tents of thousands of families who were forcibly displaced by Israel’s ongoing genocidal war on Gaza and who lack even the most basic means of protection from the elements. He stressed that the suffering of displaced civilians continues to intensify as they endure cold winds and heavy rain inside torn and inadequate shelters.

Qassem noted that repeated warnings and appeals to allow the entry of proper shelter materials and to begin reconstruction efforts have gone unanswered, leaving Gaza’s population trapped in inhumane conditions. He sharply criticized the international community for its failure to break the Israeli blockade on the besieged enclave, stating that this inaction has directly contributed to the deepening humanitarian disaster.

“The continuation of the blockade and the silence of the international community amount to complicity in the suffering of our people,” Qassem said, calling on mediators, countries guaranteeing the ceasefire agreement, the Arab League, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to take urgent and responsible action. He urged them to intervene immediately to rescue Gaza’s population from an imminent humanitarian catastrophe and to end the international indifference toward the suffering of civilians.

In recent days, heavy rainfall has flooded hundreds of tents across Gaza, where displaced families are struggling to survive amid severe shortages of civil defense equipment and emergency response capabilities. Many families have been left without dry clothing, blankets, or safe shelter as floodwaters swept through overcrowded displacement sites.

Gaza’s Ministry of Health confirmed that torrential rains submerged tents housing families displaced by Israel’s war, reporting the death of an infant due to exposure to extreme cold. The ministry warned that vulnerable groups, particularly children and the elderly, face heightened risks as winter conditions worsen.

Meanwhile, Gaza’s Government Media Office reported that at least 12 people have died or are missing as a result of the storm. The office also confirmed the collapse of at least 13 buildings and said approximately 27,000 tents have been flooded, leaving tens of thousands of people homeless once again.

Palestinian officials and humanitarian actors continue to warn that without immediate international action to lift the blockade, allow aid and shelter materials into Gaza, and begin large-scale reconstruction, the humanitarian situation will continue to deteriorate, placing countless civilian lives at risk. (ILKHA)