Low-pressure system worsens suffering of Gaza’s residents under ongoing Israeli aggression

News reports have confirmed a catastrophic deterioration in the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip as a result of the “Biron” low-pressure system and the heavy rainfall accompanying it.

This has exacerbated the suffering of displaced people, led to the complete flooding of camps in the Al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis, and caused damage across wide areas of Deir al-Balah, the central market in Al-Nuseirat, the Yarmouk , Port areas, and others—amid the devastating consequences of the Zionist aggression, the ongoing crime of genocide for more than two years against the Strip, and delays in reconstruction.

The reports indicated that many displacement tents were flooded and severely damaged amid bitter cold, and in the absence of heating supplies due to the continued blockade accompanying the war of extermination. As a result, Gaza’s residents are living under harsh humanitarian conditions and catastrophic circumstances, with the Zionist aggression continuing on a daily basis since October 7, 2023, and with daily casualties of martyrs and wounded.

Since dawn last Wednesday, the low-pressure system affecting Gaza has caused thousands of displacement tents across various parts of the Strip to flood following heavy rainfall, amid expectations that the stormy weather will continue until Friday evening.

Since the start of the ceasefire on October 10, the Israeli occupation authorities have continued to block the entry of aid and essential supplies—such as tents, blankets, and other heating materials—needed to confront the severe cold, the low-pressure system, the heavy rains, and soil erosion.

On Sunday, Adnan Abu Hasna, media advisor to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), warned of a sharp deterioration in the health situation in the Gaza Strip. He stated that the recent low-pressure system led to the flooding of tens of thousands of displacement tents with rainwater and sewage, increasing the risk of the spread of respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases, especially amid widespread malnutrition across the Strip.

A Humanitarian Tragedy
In statistics released by government bodies in Gaza regarding the scale of the humanitarian catastrophe and its impacts resulting from the low-pressure system, the Government Media Office in Gaza announced on Saturday that the recent low-pressure system constituted a compounded humanitarian disaster, noting that one million displaced people were affected.

Ismail Al-Thawabta, Director of the Government Media Office, revealed during a press conference that preliminary losses amounted to approximately $4 million, confirming that water transmission lines were disrupted in dozens of temporary shelter centers.

He explained that 13 houses collapsed, in addition to the washing away and flooding of more than 27,000 tents due to heavy rainfall. He added that dozens of temporary medical points ceased operations, while the Israeli occupation continues to close crossings and prevent the entry of humanitarian aid into the Strip.

Al-Thawabta held the Israeli occupation directly responsible for the humanitarian reality in the Strip, calling on the international community and mediators to take urgent action to pressure for the opening of crossings. He stated that more than 1.5 million displaced people are living in shelters , forced displacement areas, and that the humanitarian situation throughout the Strip is becoming increasingly catastrophic.

The Ministry of Interior in Gaza announced on Friday that the death toll had risen to 14 martyrs, including children and women, as a result of the impacts of the deep low-pressure system affecting the Strip since last Wednesday. In a brief statement, the ministry said the deaths resulted from the low-pressure system , from partial and total collapses of homes and buildings due to the rains.

Meanwhile, Mahmoud Basal, spokesperson for the Palestinian Civil Defense in Gaza, confirmed on Friday that among the deaths were three children who lost their lives due to the cold and the harsh conditions prevailing in the Strip. He added that some of these deaths occurred as a result of the collapse of cracked and structurally unsound buildings on residents, noting that several people remain under the rubble of buildings that collapsed due to the low-pressure system, while civil defense teams continue rescue efforts with limited capabilities.

Basal noted that civil defense teams have received more than 3,500 distress calls since the onset of the low-pressure system, most related to collapses, water leakage, flooded tents, and family displacement.

The Gaza Municipality said on Friday morning that the majority of tents were damaged due to strong winds and continuous heavy rain across the