Gaza: Rains add misery to humanitarian catastrophe
Heavy rains sweeping across parts of the Middle East this week have flooded tens of thousands of tents in Gaza 's displaced persons' camps. According to authorities in the enclave, at least 70,000 tents have been flooded over the past day, where tens of thousands of people took shelter. No fatalities had been reported, although some people were injured. Some of the tents have been washed away due to the weather, with mattresses and blankets soaked with water.
Around 1 million Palestinians live in camps that lack proper shelter, water and sanitation Image: Dawoud Abu Alkas/REUTERS Majority of houses destroyed More than 1.6 million residents of Gaza's 2.1-million population now live in tents or other makeshift shelters due to Israel's war in the enclave. UN data says some 80% of the enclave's structures have been damaged during the war, with two-thirds destroyed, leaving Gaza's residents — many of whom were displaced multiple times during the war between Israel and Hamas — to either live in tents or risk their lives and seek shelter in buildings that could be on the verge of collapse.
The Higher Presidential Committee for Church Affairs in Palestine released a statement appealing for humanitarian aid for the Gaza Strip due to the situation. Tents were flooded as a result of the heavy rains in the region Image: Dawoud Abu Alkas/REUTERS According to the committee, some 950,000 people are living in areas "vulnerable to flooding," with more than 400,000 living in areas of "high levels of risk." "Heavy rainfall is compounding an already catastrophic humanitarian situation, leaving displaced families and those who have lost their homes exposed to the elements and deprived of the most basic necessities of life," the statement said.
Left out here: Leaves out what changes the picture
DW never says that Israeli restrictions on heavy machinery, shelters and construction materials are making the flooding worse. It also never says that Israel destroyed the vehicles used to pump water. The article puts the damage down to "the weather". A reader believes the floods are a natural misery, not one deepened by a named party's restrictions.
How we know
- BBC News reported“the "desperate" situation was being made worse by Israeli restrictions on the entry of heavy machinery and supplies such as engine oil”Tens of thousands of tents flooded after heavy rains in Gaza (opens in a new tab)
- NBC News reported“Hamas blamed Israel for not allowing shelters and construction materials into Gaza.”Heavy rain floods thousands of tents in Gaza, aid shortages hamper response (opens in a new tab)
Israel accused of genocide Some 74,000 people have been killed in the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023. The war was triggered when Islamist Palestinian organization Hamas and its affiliates launched a terrorist attack in Israel's south, killing some 1,200 Israelis, most of whom were civilians. The militants also kidnapped 251 hostages. The UN, EU, US and Israel, among others, consider Hamas to be a terrorist organization. A UN commission of inquiry, as well as many leading human rights organizations, have accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza.
Israel has rejected the accusation, saying its army is acting in accordance with international law. Women's soccer in Gaza helps amputees reclaim their lives To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
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