EU commissioner calls for urgent Gaza aid as floods hit displacement camps

EU Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib on Sunday called for increased humanitarian access to the Gaza Strip as heavy rainfall flooded displacement camps and further worsened conditions for Palestinians facing an already severe humanitarian crisis.

"In Gaza, families are bailing water out of their tents with pots and pans," Lahbib wrote on X, warning that the flooding had made an unbearable situation even worse.

"The rain makes a crisis that was already unbearable worse," she said, urging an immediate increase in humanitarian assistance.

Lahbib acknowledged that humanitarian organizations were continuing their operations despite the adverse weather but stressed that additional aid must be allowed into the territory without delay.

"They need more aid to get in, now," she added.

Thousands of tents affected by flooding

According to Gaza's Government Media Office, storms that began late Friday flooded approximately 70,000 tents sheltering displaced Palestinians.

Damaged infrastructure and shortages of emergency equipment have further complicated relief operations, leaving many families exposed to worsening weather conditions.

The flooding has added to the difficulties facing displaced residents, many of whom are living in temporary shelters with limited protection against rain and winter conditions.

UN warns of growing shelter needs

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, said Thursday that approximately 1.98 million people in Gaza needed shelter and other essential supplies.

The agency's warning highlights the scale of humanitarian needs as winter approaches, with continued calls for greater aid access and urgent support for displaced families.

Source:AA