Gaza Suffering in Heavy Rain in the Middle East: Save Humanity

Storm, shelters, and dire need: How can the world help Gaza’s residents affected by torrential rains?

Following the devastating losses suffered by the Gaza Strip during the war, the tragedy is compounded, exacerbating an already catastrophic situation. Heavy winter rains have flooded thousands of makeshift tents, inundated neighborhoods with rubble, caused buildings to collapse, disrupted sanitation services, and increased the risk of disease outbreaks. 

All this while more than a million displaced people remain living under flimsy plastic sheeting or in partially destroyed homes. Journalists and UN agencies report deaths due to exposure to the bitter cold, flooded camps, and the desperate need for shelter, winter supplies, and basic services.

Why does this matter?

 In short: Every storm that floods tents and ruins meager bedding poses a potential threat to life in this besieged and devastated enclave. Floodwaters mix with untreated sewage in areas where sanitation systems have been destroyed, increasing the risk of diarrheal diseases and other infectious illnesses. Collapsed and flooded buildings make search and rescue operations more dangerous and slow the delivery of humanitarian aid. Winter conditions also increase the risk of hypothermia, particularly for infants, the elderly, and those with chronic illnesses.

What the people of Gaza urgently need (in order of priority):

1. Safe and dry shelter on a large scale. Waterproof tents, thick canvas tarpaulins, prefabricated containers, and insulated temporary housing units or mobile homes—where possible—to replace flimsy tents. The UN and local authorities estimate the need for hundreds of thousands of new shelter units.
2. Winter supplies and bedding. Blankets, mud-proof mattresses, warm clothing for children and adults, and heating fuel where safe and feasible. Many aid convoys and national societies are prioritizing blankets and mattresses.
3. Water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) response. Mobile toilets, safe drinking water, water pumps, and drainage solutions are needed to prevent the accumulation of sewage and contaminated water. Rapid action on water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) measures are crucial to reducing disease outbreaks.
4. Medical response and disease prevention: Mobile clinics, vaccinations where needed, essential medicines, and support for hospitals and field clinics under significant strain.
5. Debris removal and search and rescue equipment: Heavy machinery, generators, and protective gear to enable teams to safely recover trapped people and bodies from under the rubble weakened by the rains.

Which organizations are working on the ground 

(and what are they doing)? The following organizations have been identified in news reports and UN situation updates as effective responders in the recent rain crisis in Gaza. I have linked each name, where possible, to its assigned role:

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) – coordinates needs assessments and prioritizes aid; publishes daily situation reports to guide the response.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) is conducting large-scale distributions to displaced families (shelter kits, blankets, and cash assistance for Palestinian refugees). UNRWA leadership has publicly appealed for additional shelter materials.

The International Committee of the Red Cross/Palestine Red Crescent Society is providing medical assistance, ambulances, and support for search and rescue operations. The Palestine Red Crescent Society is warning of disease outbreaks following the floods.

The World Health Organization, UNICEF, the World Food Programme, and other UN agencies are providing medical supplies, child protection, nutrition, and food assistance. These agencies form the backbone of the sectoral emergency response.

National Red Crescent Societies and regional responders (the Egyptian Red Crescent, and the Jordanian, Qatari, and Turkish Red Crescent Societies) have dispatched winter relief convoys (blankets, mattresses, and tents) and field teams. Xinhua News Agency and other media outlets have reported the arrival of large quantities of winter supplies from the relief arms of neighboring countries.

Medical NGOs (Doctors Without Borders, Medical Aid for Palestinians, and other NGOs): Emergency medical care, field hospitals, and support for health facilities. Doctors Without Borders has long operated emergency facilities in Gaza.
How Donors, Governments, and Individuals Can Help – Practical Steps for Governments and Major Donors

Prioritize funding for shelter: prefabricated housing, insulated containers, and waterproof tents (not just thin plastic sheeting).

Cash and in-kind support should be directed to the more than 300,000 shelter units urgently needed, as identified by UN actors.

Facilitate and expedite humanitarian access through agreed-upon crossings and logistical corridors, and fund equipment for debris removal and search and rescue teams. OCHA reports confirm that supply disruptions and access restrictions have exacerbated the crisis.

 For aid organizations and implementing agencies:

 Immediately scale up water, sanitation, hygiene, and disease prevention teams: provide pumps, water trucks, sanitation facilities, and hygiene kits.

 Deploy mobile clinics, provide cold chains for essential medicines, and offer psychosocial support to displaced families.

 

Coordinate through OCHA mechanisms/clusters to avoid duplication and reach remote and low-lying displacement sites.

 

For individuals and civil society organizations:

Donate to trusted and transparent organizations operating in Gaza (see list below). Donations are preferred to organizations with a field presence and a proven track record of logistics (UN agencies, the International Committee of the Red Cross/Red Crescent, and established international NGOs).

Support: Urge your elected representatives and local institutions to support humanitarian corridors, provide funding, and offer immediate shelter programs.

 

Support diaspora organizations and local civil society organizations: Small, targeted cash transfers, coordinated with trusted local partners, can be quick and effective when implemented through transparent channels.

 

A shortlist of organizations you can donate to (check current appeals before donating):

 

UNRWA – Main refugee relief, shelter, and winter assistance.

 

OCHA/UN humanitarian funds – Supports coordination and co-financing.

 

ICRC/PRCS – Emergency medical referrals.

 

MSF – Emergency medical teams. The World Food Programme, UNICEF, and the World Health Organization – Food, Child Protection, and Health Response.

 

Trusted Regional Response Partners:

• Egyptian Red Crescent
• Saudi Relief Agency
• Qatar Red Crescent

( – Documented Winter Convoys and Field Deliveries.)

 

Why It’s Essential – Beyond Just Sympathy? 

Helping the people of Gaza now is not just a moral obligation; it’s a humanitarian and public health imperative. Failure to stop the spread of disease, to prevent hypothermia in infants and the elderly, or to allow damaged buildings to collapse will result in preventable deaths, long-term disabilities, and significantly increased recovery costs. Rapidly providing shelter, water, sanitation, and hygiene services, and medical interventions will save lives and reduce the human and economic toll of a crisis that would otherwise worsen.

 Reports from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and Reuters show that immediate action can prevent a large-scale secondary catastrophe on top of the war’s devastation.

 

Some points to keep in mind:

Check campaigns and receipts: Donate to organizations that are transparent in their reporting and clear about their field operations.

Cash assistance is often the quickest way to restore dignity to affected families, but it must be channeled through responsible partners.

 Political opinions vary widely regarding the broader conflict; therefore, humanitarian aid should prioritize neutral and impartial actors whose mission is to save lives.