Hamas has accused Israel of responsibility after heavy rains flooded displacement camps across the Gaza Strip on Saturday, sweeping away tents and leaving families without dry shelter.
Israeli security officials pushed back against the criticism on Sunday morning, saying that preparations for winter weather had been under way for some time. They said the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), the Gaza Board of Peace, and the United Nations had already moved a range of supplies into the enclave ahead of the storm.
According to the officials, the equipment delivered included 91,000 new tents, waterproof tarps, and 9,000 truckloads of clothing and blankets, all intended to offset flood damage. COGAT also called on aid organizations and donor countries to keep supplying goods and supporting humanitarian efforts in the territory.
At the same time, security officials said equipment for rebuilding permanent structures in Gaza, along with mobile homes, would not be permitted to enter as long as Hamas refuses to disarm and the Strip is not demilitarized.
"Even now, Hamas is exploiting the aid entering the Gaza Strip to rebuild its military wing. It is not stopping its rearmament. It is exploiting the civilian environment and the entry of reconstruction equipment. We knew in advance that this would be the situation in winter, and therefore COGAT prepared for it," a security official said.
The same official argued that conditions have improved compared with earlier stages of the conflict. "The situation now is the best it has been since the war began. During previous winters, there was military maneuvering, restrictions on the entry of general equipment, and population displacement. There are difficulties in the Gaza Strip. There is no doubt. But they are not comparable to what existed at the height of the war."
Officials said they are waiting to see what new government will be formed in Gaza, what its policy on reconstruction will be, and whether it will insist on Hamas being disarmed.
COGAT had prepared for a coordinated Hamas campaign tied to the winter storm, as first reported by Walla. Heavy rains and winds that had battered the Strip since Friday night flooded camps and damaged tents. Hamas said roughly 70,000 tents were flooded within 12 hours and put initial direct damage at approximately $3 million, while members of the organization posted photos and videos on social media blaming Israel for the harsh conditions.
Gaza's Hamas-run Civil Defense said it received 2,166 distress calls since the storm began but had responded to only 218 of them. Spokesperson Mahmoud Basal said displacement camps, shelters, and entire areas were flooded, with water reaching about 1.5 meters in some locations, adding that shortages of equipment and rescue tools limited what teams could do for many families.
Palestinian and Arab media reported that the flooding hit tents near Gaza City's port, western Deir al-Balah, the northern part of the Nuseirat camp, and areas of Jabalya and Beit Lahiya. Water entered shelters and soaked mattresses, blankets, clothing, and personal belongings, as families tried to bail out their tents with buckets or hold back the water with sand.
