Gaza rains deepen civilian hardship as Israel and Hamas remain at odds

Heavy autumn rainfall and falling temperatures have intensified Gaza's humanitarian crisis as disputes between Israel and Hamas continue to obstruct reconstruction. UNICEF said torrential rain over the weekend killed at least six people, including children. Local authorities reported that at least 70,000 tents flooded, affecting more than 200,000 people.

Rawan Al-Omari, 33, who lives with her two children in a tent west of Jabalia, told Deutsche Welle that the family had spent two days using sand and rubble to keep water out. Mud made leaving the tent difficult. Radi Amin, 45, said rain soaked the tent he shares with his three children and all their possessions. Their belongings only began drying when sunshine returned on Wednesday.

Aid workers have begun clearing blocked sewers and stormwater basins at 60 sites, helping an estimated 30,000 families, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported Wednesday. Its partners warned that space to relocate people from flooded areas and damaged buildings was insufficient. OCHA said Israeli restrictions on Palestinian access beyond the military boundary known as the Yellow Line leave most of Gaza's land inaccessible.

The war following the Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, destroyed most of Gaza's housing and infrastructure. Gaza's Health Ministry reports more than 74,600 deaths in the territory. Israel controls about two-thirds of Gaza, while Hamas governs much of the remaining coastal area, where most of its roughly 2 million residents live. Many have repeatedly been displaced and shelter in tents, camps or unsafe homes.

Under the US-brokered October 2025 ceasefire, President Donald Trump created the Board of Peace to oversee implementation, postwar governance and reconstruction. An April 2026 assessment by the World Bank, UN and EU estimated recovery costs at $71.4 billion over a decade. Negotiations remain stalled over Hamas disarmament and Israeli troop withdrawal. Israeli airstrikes have continued, including a Thursday strike on Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis targeting alleged Hamas members.

Nathan Brown, a George Washington University professor, told DW that Israeli insistence on full Hamas disarmament before reconstruction was the central obstacle to the board securing rebuilding or dependable relief. On Monday, the board called Israel's preparations for winter insufficient and urged immediate authorization of necessary supplies. It also demanded that Hamas surrender its weapons and governing authority. Hamas rejected the criticism, accusing Israel of blocking the plan and withholding aid.

Israel's Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories said Monday that 12 sewage vacuum trucks for the International Committee of the Red Cross had arrived. It also reported the entry of 91,000 tents and more than 8,200 trucks carrying tarpaulins, blankets and winter clothing in recent months. The UN and other agencies accuse Israel of blocking prefabricated shelters. Israel rejects the UN's claim that around 150,000 tents await approval outside Gaza.

Benjamin Netanyahu, serving as caretaker prime minister while a government is formed after the October 27 elections, denied Israeli responsibility for worsening conditions and blamed Hamas. He warned that the group would use goods with both civilian and military applications to strengthen its rule and weapons arsenal.

Save the Children's regional director, Ahmad Alhendawi, told DW that around 1.2 million people, including more than 560,000 children, face critical or catastrophic shelter conditions. He said winter clothing supplies meet less than 1% of needs. UN Population Fund representative Nestor Owomuhangi said around 400,000 people, including an estimated 10,000 pregnant women, live in areas highly vulnerable to flooding. With around 180 babies born daily, he said mothers and newborns urgently need warm, dry shelter.