Storm Byron Floods Gaza Displacement Sites as Hundreds Flee Tents

Storm Byron is sweeping across the Gaza Strip, bringing heavy rain, strong winds and hail that have flooded displacement camps and forced hundreds of families to seek dry ground. The storm is expected to continue through Friday, raising immediate humanitarian concerns for an area already strained by prolonged conflict and widespread displacement.

Risk and Impact

According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), nearly 850,000 people sheltering in 761 displacement sites face the highest risk of flooding. OCHA says more than 200 high‑risk sites have already recorded flooding, affecting over 140,000 people. Previous storms have contaminated camps with sewage and solid waste, swept away tents and forced families out of makeshift shelters.

Limited Shelter and Repair Capacity

Humanitarian groups and local officials report that restrictions on the entry of tents and equipment to repair water and sewage systems have left Gaza poorly equipped to respond. Amjad Shawa, director of the Palestinian NGOs Network, said only 40,000 tents—out of some 300,000 needed—have been allowed in, and that necessary tools for fixing sewage and water networks remain restricted.

“Flooding risks contaminating drinking water and food with sewage and solid waste, increasing the threat of disease in the densely populated Strip,” Shawa said.

Local Response

In Rafah, the Palestinian Civil Defence reported receiving distress calls from displacement camps where families said tents were flooded and some people were trapped. The rescue agency said its teams were working with limited resources to reach those in need. Video verified by Al Jazeera showed residents digging ditches around tents in attempts to divert floodwater.

Humanitarian Warnings

NGOs and UN officials warned that the flimsy, often torn tents used by displaced families provide little protection from heavy rain and are unlikely to safeguard belongings. Oxfam’s humanitarian response adviser, Chris McIntosh, described the situation as potentially “very tragic,” saying that bureaucratic barriers have prevented adequate shelter items from entering the territory and that the limited items permitted—such as tarpaulin—are insufficient.

Farhan Haq, spokesperson for UN Secretary‑General António Guterres, said vulnerable groups, including newborns, face heightened risk from the storm. He added that some families were already moving to new displacement sites in parts of Khan Younis to escape rising flood risk.

Appeals and International Pressure

Local authorities and humanitarian organizations are calling on the international community to press for urgent humanitarian access and a rapid increase in shelter and repair supplies. Ismail al‑Thawabta, director of Gaza’s Government Media Office, said hundreds of thousands of families remain without adequate shelter as the storm approaches and issued an appeal for international assistance.

The situation remains fluid as responders work to relocate families from the most flood‑prone sites and to prevent waterborne disease outbreaks. Humanitarian agencies emphasize an urgent need for tents, repair equipment and sanitation supplies to reduce the immediate and secondary impacts of the storm.