Heavy rains flood thousands of tents sheltering displaced civilians in Gaza

Heavy rains flooded thousands of tents sheltering displaced civilians in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, witnesses said.

Heavy rainfall began before dawn, submerging thousands of tents in several areas across the enclave.

According to an Anadolu reporter, the water level exceeded 40 centimeters inside some tents.

Civil Defense spokesman Mahmoud Basal warned in a video statement of an "imminent humanitarian disaster" resulting from the current bad weather conditions.

According to forecasts, rains are expected to continue in Gaza until Friday.

Basal said that aid entering Gaza still falls far short of the needs of the territory's 2.4 million residents facing a severe humanitarian crisis, calling for immediate international action.

On Tuesday, the Gaza Government Media Office warned that a polar low-pressure system would affect the enclave starting Wednesday and lasting until Friday evening, threatening hundreds of thousands of displaced families.

According to prior data from the media office, Gaza needs around 300,000 tents and prefabricated housing units to meet the most basic shelter needs of Palestinians after Israel destroyed infrastructure over two years of war.

The United Nations estimates the cost of reconstructing Gaza at about $70 billion as a result of the Israeli war, which has killed more than 70,000 Palestinians and wounded over 171,000. The assault came to a halt under a ceasefire deal that took effect on Oct. 10.