Storm Batters Gaza as Displaced Families Struggle to Cope

A fierce winter storm hit the Gaza Strip overnight. Despite the damage, residents remain determined to stay following U.S. President Trump’s controversial announcement on their future

Heavy winds and torrential rain lashed the Gaza Strip in the early hours of Thursday, flooding tents sheltering displaced families and ripping plastic sheeting off homes. The severe winter storm added to the hardships faced by thousands already enduring dire conditions.

Despite the destruction, many residents remain resolute, especially after U.S. President Donald Trump’s controversial announcement outlining plans to seize the enclave and expel them. The storm struck just hours after Gazans learned of the decision, forcing families from their sleep as winds tore apart makeshift shelters of plastic and cloth. Desperate residents scrambled to bail water out of their flooded tents using small plastic pots.

By morning, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz had ordered the army to draft a plan for the "voluntary departure" of Gaza residents. Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians have started returning to their homes, particularly in the northern part of Gaza, which remains in near-total ruin.

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