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Storm Byron Floods Gaza Camps, Killing Infant and Triggering Thousands of Rescue Calls

The deluge underscores a dire shelter gap that relief groups say persists despite Israeli assurances on aid access.

Overview

  • UN OCHA says about 850,000 people in 761 displacement sites face the highest flood risk this week, with thousands relocating ahead of the storm.
  • The Palestinian Civil Defence reports more than 2,500 distress calls and widespread camp flooding, with response efforts hindered by fuel shortages and destroyed pumping equipment.
  • Medics say eight-month-old Rahaf Abu Jazar died of exposure after floodwaters inundated her family’s tent in Khan Younis.
  • UN and Palestinian officials estimate roughly 300,000 tents are urgently needed; aid groups say only tens of thousands have entered, a shortfall Israel disputes as it asserts it is facilitating deliveries.
  • Flooding threatens to spread sewage and solid waste through crowded camps, and prolonged cloud cover has cut off solar charging, leaving many families without light, heat, or reliable communications.