A powerful storm system lashed Gaza overnight and into early Friday, killing two Palestinian brothers in Gaza City and pushing the enclave’s weather-related death toll to four in the past 24 hours, medical sources said.
The storm – fueled by a deepening low-pressure front – pounded the Gaza Strip for a third straight day, unleashing heavy rain, strong winds and flooding that left hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians struggling to stay safe inside fragile tents.
Khader and Khalil Iyhab Hanouna died when a rain-soaked wall collapsed onto their tent in central Gaza City, according to the sources, who spoke to Anadolu Agency (AA).
Their deaths followed two other fatalities linked to the storm in the same 24-hour period.
One Palestinian was killed when his home collapsed in the Shati refugee camp west of Gaza City, while a young girl died of exposure after her family’s tent flooded in Khan Younis in southern Gaza.
Several Palestinians were also injured when part of a house previously damaged by Israeli strikes collapsed in the Beit Lahia area of northern Gaza. Some residents were believed to be trapped under the rubble.
In a separate incident, Gaza’s Civil Defense said several Palestinians, including children, were injured when a tent sheltering displaced families collapsed in the al-Mina, or Port, area west of Gaza City because of strong winds and heavy rain.
Floodwaters submerged thousands of worn tents across multiple areas of the enclave, damaging shelters and destroying the belongings of displaced families, further worsening conditions amid plunging temperatures.
Civil Defense crews said they evacuated several displaced families after two partially damaged homes collapsed in Khan Younis, warning residents not to seek shelter in buildings at risk of further collapse.
Three buildings also collapsed west of Gaza City on Thursday as heavy rain and flooding continued to batter the enclave.
About 250,000 families are currently living in displacement camps across the Gaza Strip, many facing cold weather and flooding inside fragile tents, according to Civil Defense officials.
Despite the cease-fire that took effect Oct. 10, living conditions in Gaza have not improved, as Israel continues to impose strict restrictions on the entry of aid trucks, violating the humanitarian terms of the agreement.
Israel has killed more than 70,000 people – mostly women and children – and injured over 171,000 others in attacks on Gaza since October 2023, which have continued despite a cease-fire two months ago.
