Flooding in Gaza: Thousands of displaced, urgent aid needed
The torrential rain and storm that struck the Gaza Strip have left thousands of people homeless, forcing them to move and live in tents by the sea.
Hamas officials reported that nearly ten thousand tents had been washed away by the floods in the past two days. People are appealing to the international community and humanitarian organizations for clothing and blankets to protect their children from the harsh conditions and cold winter temperatures.
The powerful storm swept away all the tents in the region. People were awakened by the huge waves, which left them without shelter.
“We were sleeping when suddenly the sea water rose higher than our tent. It flooded everything. My children and I barely managed to escape,” says a local resident.
A man recalls that the waves even took a sack of flour he had bought for 411 US dollars: “We have no roof over our heads. We have no tent or anything else to shelter us. We hope that everyone will see our situation. We live by the sea without food, water, or clothing. Our suffering is immense.”
Moreover, his wife was injured: “The water flooded everything. The tent collapsed on us, and I was injured too. All our children were drenched to the skin.”
People are desperate because they have nowhere to take shelter: “My children and I fled. We were sleeping, hoping that God would protect us. We need a tent. We appeal to everyone to bring us a tent. Where will my children and I go? I have seven children, and their clothes were taken by the sea. The waves took our food and our pots. We don't know where we will go.”
The UN estimates that about 90% of the 2.3 million people living in the Gaza Strip have been displaced. Hundreds of thousands are living in tent camps under dire conditions, with little food and water. Humanitarian organizations say that it is difficult to bring supplies to the region because of Israeli restrictions and the ongoing fighting.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
