OCHA: Floods deepen humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza as more than 950,000 displaced live in flood-prone areas

The spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Jens Laerke, warned that the worst floods Gaza may witness have not yet occurred, noting that last weekend was "a nightmare for hundreds of thousands" of the Strip's residents.

According to OCHA figures, about 950,000 displaced Palestinians are living in areas exposed to a medium or high risk of flooding, including more than 400,000 in high-risk areas. The homes of more than 40,000 displaced families have also been damaged.

Laerke confirmed that the floods were expected, and that OCHA had informed the Israeli side months ago of the need to bring in tents and emergency supplies, saying: "So far we have not been on the winning side." He explained that about 150,000 tents purchased by humanitarian organizations have not been allowed into Gaza, while Laerke noted that the Israeli authorities justify this with concerns that they could be used for military purposes.

OCHA data indicate that an infant was killed after being swept away by the flood, while two women died after their tents collapsed under the weight of sand. UNICEF warned that none of the wastewater treatment plants in Gaza are currently operating, and that it has been trying for more than a year to obtain Israeli permission to bring in repair equipment.

Field teams have succeeded in pumping out water and leveling the ground at 25 displacement sites covering about 3,700 families, while other teams have cleaned sanitation points at 60 sites to improve conditions for about 30,000 families. However, 245 shelter sites - most of them in Gaza and the northern Strip - and 23 road points still urgently need heavy machinery.

Laerke noted that a $4 billion humanitarian appeal prepared by OCHA for Gaza and the West Bank has so far been only 35% funded, warning that the scarcity of funding threatens operations throughout the winter and extending into 2027.