At least 12 Palestinians have been killed or have gone missing in Gaza over the past 24 hours as torrential rains, high winds, and flooding batter the enclave, according to the Government Media Office.
At least 13 homes have collapsed, and more than 27,000 tents sheltering the displaced have been swept away by flash floods, either submerged by water or torn apart by strong winds. Civil Defense teams are struggling to respond to hundreds of distress calls. The office said more than 1.5 million displaced Palestinians in Gaza are at risk.
The UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM) said in a statement that basic tool kits, sandbags, and water pumps have not been allowed into Gaza due to “long-standing access restrictions” by Israel.