Strong winds and heavy rain battered tent camps in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis on Sunday, offering little protection to thousands of displaced Palestinians struggling to survive winter conditions in the war-ravaged enclave.
Tents made of tarpaulin, fabric and weakened wooden supports flapped violently in the wind, with many flooded by rainwater. Families were left exposed to cold and wet weather, with little means to keep themselves warm after months of conflict destroyed much of Gaza’s housing and infrastructure.
Aid workers and local authorities warned that the severe weather was worsening an already dire humanitarian situation. Earlier this month, Gaza authorities said heavy rain could cause more war-damaged buildings to collapse and make it harder to recover bodies still trapped beneath rubble across the territory.
Many residents said winter conditions had made life in tent camps unbearable.
“People now hate winter,” said Wael al-Shiekh Khalil, a displaced Palestinian sheltering in Khan Younis. “They used to say during summer that the tent is very hot. But the heat is better than this cold winter. The covers and mattresses are all soaked in water. There is nothing to warm yourself with.”
Others described repeated damage to their shelters as rain and wind weakened already fragile structures.
“The tent has collapsed nearly six or seven times,” said Emad al-Ashy. “The wood became weaker with the water, moisture and sand. With even the lightest wind, everything can collapse.”
The worsening conditions come amid a fragile truce based on a plan announced by U.S. President Donald Trump in September. The plan calls for an initial ceasefire followed by steps towards a broader peace, including the release of hostages and prisoners and a partial Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
Trump’s proposal ultimately envisions Hamas disarming and relinquishing any governing role in Gaza, while Israel would fully withdraw. Hamas has said it would only give up its weapons once a Palestinian state is established — a condition Israel has repeatedly rejected.
Although violence has subsided since the truce took effect, it has not stopped entirely. Gaza’s health ministry says more than 400 Palestinians have been killed in the territory since the ceasefire began, while Israel says three of its soldiers have been killed in militant attacks.
As winter weather intensifies, humanitarian agencies warn that displaced families sheltering in makeshift camps face growing risks from exposure, flooding and further structural collapse, compounding the toll of months of war.
Iran's military has threatened to launch sustained attacks on U.S. bases and interests across the Middle East if Washington resumes milita...
Russian parliamentary elections have delivered a comfortable win to the ruling United Russia party, which is closely aligned to President Vladimir ...
Overnight Russian strikes on the city of Sumy, northeast Ukraine, have killed one woman and injured a man, the country's State Emergency Servic...
Houthi attacks target Riyadh amid concerns over Saudi oil supplies, as Iran says it will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz until its conditions are met and U.S. commitments are implemented, parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Sunday.
Saudi civil defence sent an all-clear on Saturday after issuing alerts for a second time for potential danger in Riyadh and the city of Al-Kharj east of the capital, amid an uptick in attacks by Iran-aligned Houthis on the Gulf country.
The U.S. State Department approved a $2.7 billion military sale to Ukraine for air-defence development upgrades, along with related equipment and services, the department said. Meanwhile, Ukrainian authorities reported at least 10 people had died in Russian attacks over the last 24 hours.
The death toll from an overnight Russian attack on the Kyiv region rose to four, including three children, Kyiv regional authorities said on Sunday. A mother and her two 3-year-old children were killed when a Russian drone strike hit a private home, the emergency service said.
Iran's military has threatened to launch sustained attacks on U.S. bases and interests across the Middle East if Washington resumes military action against Tehran.
Overnight Russian strikes on the city of Sumy, northeast Ukraine, have killed one woman and injured a man, the country's State Emergency Service has said.
Russian parliamentary elections have delivered a comfortable win to the ruling United Russia party, which is closely aligned to President Vladimir Putin. With more than 95 per cent of ballots counted, United Russia has taken 57.83 per cent of the vote, up from the 49.8 per cent it won in 2021.
A powerful typhoon was approaching Japan’s Pacific coast on Monday, bringing torrential rain, strong winds and a heightened risk of landslides across the Kanto region, including Tokyo, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.
Here's your AnewZ Daily Brief for 21 September 2026. These are the top five stories making headlines in sports.
Baku is preparing to host its 10th Formula 1 race, with the city’s streets once again set to transform into one of the most demanding circuits on the F1 calendar.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment