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Heavy rains and storms have flooded tens of thousands of tents in Gaza – washing away family shelters, destroying their few remaining belongings, and putting children at risk of illness and hypothermia.
Nearly 1 million displaced people in Gaza are now at risk of flooding over the next few months as winter sets in1. Most of them are trapped in dangerously overcrowded camps, sheltering in torn tents or bomb-damaged buildings which offer little protection from winter’s harsh rains and cold nights.
The Israeli blockade continues to restrict the entry of basic humanitarian supplies that are vital for winter, including durable shelter materials, essential medical supplies and fuel to run generators. With winter set to bring further suffering, the international community must urgently increase pressure on Israel to stop impeding aid.
Islamic Relief has launched a winter appeal to provide thousands of displaced families in Gaza with assistance, but much more is needed.
Families report the new storm flooded tents with raw sewage, soaking their bedding and clothes and leaving many without anywhere to sleep. Children have to wade through flooded streets to get to school.
More than 1.9 million people in Gaza urgently need shelter, with some 200,000 tents now old and severely worn out and unable to withstand strong winds and rainfall. Around 60% of people’s tents require immediate replacement.
An Islamic Relief aid worker in Gaza, said the rains brought chaos and panic:
“Everyone is just running to protect what they can, to try to save their shelter from flooding. In just the first day of this rainstorm, local emergency reports confirmed that around 70,000 worn-out tents sheltering tens of thousands of displaced families were flooded, while dozens of cracked walls and roofs collapsed on those seeking cover. Behind every single one of those numbers is a family shivering in the mud, watching the rain wash away the very last pieces of their dignity and safety. The rain didn’t wash away our pain; it just made the rubble heavier and the cold deeper.”
Displaced families in Gaza are already living in desperate conditions. Israel has expelled Palestinians from approximately 65% of Gaza, confining almost 2.1 million people into just 35% of the land. Families are packed into camps where there is little safe water or sanitation, with rising cases of skin diseases, respiratory infections and other illnesses.
Gaza’s electricity supply has been cut off, leaving people reliant on generators to heat homes or keep vital healthcare and sanitation services going – but the restrictions on fuel entering Gaza make it almost impossible to keep generators running. The price of engine oil for generators recently rocketed to $900 per litre and about 70% of hospital generators are currently out of service.
As the floods get worse, aid workers and medics expect to see an increase in illnesses over the next few months, especially among the most vulnerable groups such as young children and elderly people, but most people still cannot access decent healthcare.
Since October 2023, Israel has killed more than 73,000 Palestinians, including at least 21,000 children and 13,000 women. More than 173,000 people have been injured, and thousands more remain missing under the rubble.
Despite announcements of a ceasefire, the humanitarian situation in Gaza remains catastrophic and, in many respects, conditions have deteriorated further.
The scale of the crisis remains staggering, with women and children among the most vulnerable. More than 40,000 children have been orphaned, while nearly one million children have lost access to education, been displaced from their homes, and are in urgent need of mental health and psychosocial support services.
Essential services have largely collapsed, healthcare and education systems are in ruins, and families continue to face trauma, hunger, loss, and prolonged uncertainty. Paradoxically, delivering aid has become even more challenging since the ceasefire, as severe access restrictions and logistical barriers have forced humanitarian organisations, including Islamic Relief, to temporarily suspend or scale back initiatives that were previously operational.
Yet, despite these immense challenges, Islamic Relief remains on the ground and steadfast in its commitment to the people of Gaza, continuing to deliver lifesaving assistance and essential support to vulnerable families whenever possible.
We have worked in the Occupied Palestinian Territory since 1997 and have a well-established team based in Gaza. Our staff are members of the very communities they serve, experiencing the same displacement, loss, insecurity and daily hardships as those around them. Despite these immense challenges, they continue to do everything possible to deliver life-saving assistance and essential support whenever access allows.
As needs have evolved, we have continually adapted and expanded our response. Today, we provide hot meals, food packs, food vouchers and other emergency assistance to families facing extreme food insecurity, while delivering maternal healthcare, psychosocial support, education programmes, and targeted support for women, people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups.
We have also significantly expanded our Orphan Sponsorship Programme in Gaza, increasing support from 8,750 orphaned children before October 2023 to more than 25,000 children today, ensuring children receive financial assistance, healthcare, protection and psychosocial support.
Through our local team and trusted partners, we remain committed to standing with the people of Gaza and responding to their most urgent needs, despite the immense operational challenges.
The figures below were last updated on 6 August 2026:
medical items
food packs
lipid-based nutrient supplements distributed, to help prevent malnutrition
food vouchers
fresh vegetable packs
ready-to-eat meals
children received psychosocial support
people have received healthcare services
family hygiene kits
orphans sponsored
family kits, including warm clothes, blankets, mattresses, kitchen sets and makeshift tents
Last updated 6th August 2026
For the additional funds that are coming in and those we are unable to use at the moment, we are assessing opportunities to invest in long-term development programming, including rebuilding efforts.
Sustainable development programming is just as vital as providing emergency relief, so donors can be assured donations will be used to uplift communities in Gaza. Circumstances obviously do allow us to undertake any assessments in term of rebuilding.
There is a major liquidity crisis in Gaza and most people are suffering from the scarcity of cash. Many banks and ATMs had to shut down over the last 19 months and financial systems are in disarray. With formal banking disrupted, many people rely on informal money transfer systems, but these can be less reliable and more expensive with financial agents charging up to 30% in fees. When people do have cash, the scarcity of goods means that prices are rising rapidly and it is increasingly difficult for people to afford essentials.
Any organisation with which we partner must also adhere to an agreement covering areas such as risk management, publicity issues, child protection and terrorism.
We have committed ourselves to meeting various practice related compliance standards. The standards include those set by the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID) in Australia and the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS) globally. We are also signatories to various commitments, including the Leave No One Behind UN Agenda and the Red Cross Code of Conduct. By committing to these standards, we are able to measure ourselves against best practice in the sector. We are also able to assure our supporters that we maintain the highest standards of accountability, transparency, and professionalism.