Heavy rains and severe flooding across the Gaza Strip uprooted tens of thousands of displaced families and triggered an intense diplomatic clash between Israel and the Peace Council over humanitarian access, reconstruction timelines, and accountability.
Shipments of Tents and Winter Supplies Address Crisis
Following severe downpours that inundated tent camps throughout the territory, the Prime Minister’s Office released figures detailing the shipments sent to address the crisis. Israel coordinated with international organizations to deliver more than 91,000 tents.
Shipments also included over 8,200 trucks carrying tarps, blankets, and winter clothing.
The logistics effort brought in 12 vacuum trucks to pump out sewage. Equipment also arrived to repair damaged water and sanitation networks along with fuel supplies.
United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs data showed civilian aid teams received distress calls from more than 26,000 families directly affected by the weather. The floods resulted in the complete destruction of 6,000 shelters. Heavy damage hit 17,400 additional shelters across the various governorates.
Civil defense services inside the strip reported receiving about 1,500 distress calls from residents asking for assistance. One local resident described trying to rebuild his tent through the night after strong rain blew the structure away. Families have nowhere to go when water breaches their temporary shelters. Asked by reporters if the severe conditions make him regret the events of October 7, the resident said that they have no regrets.
Council Demands Hamas Halt Military Activities Near Civilians
Delays in approving winter gear hindered humanitarian relief. The council argued that delays also hindered the disarmament schedule for the territory.
The council directed strict demands toward Hamas in its official statement. It insisted that the militant group halt military activities near civilian zones and transfer administrative authority to a governing committee. “The time for unfulfilled promises has passed”, the council said.
The council warned that any party failing to meet its obligations will bear responsibility for the consequences. The council demanded that the current Israeli government act immediately to authorize the entry of all winter equipment and humanitarian aid.
Security Concerns Over Dual-Use Materials
Washington exerted heavy pressure to prevent further deterioration in the tent camps. Israel’s security establishment began evaluating proposals to permit the entry of heavy construction materials such as cement, steel pipes, and iron. These items are strictly classified as dual-use because Hamas could divert them to rebuild tunnels and underground fortifications.
Government officials said these infrastructure considerations move forward even though Hamas has yet to surrender any weapons or take practical steps toward demilitarization. Defense planners are designing specialized monitoring mechanisms. These mechanisms ensure that materials meant for sanitation repairs and wastewater plants do not reach militant networks.
Yoram Hlevi, the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, sent an urgent letter to senior international officials previously. He warned that private sector traders had suspended the coordination of goods entering Gaza until further notice. This suspension followed forced taxation demands by Hamas. The group reportedly pressured merchants by demanding roughly 10,000 shekels for each commercial truck entering the territory.
The Strategic Winter Campaign Dispute
Chief of General Staff Eyal Zamir convened an emergency security discussion after military intelligence gathered evidence. Military intelligence indicated that Hamas views the winter season as a primary tool for international pressure. Defense officials assess that the group intends to use imagery of flooded camps to force a reconstruction process before any disarmament takes place.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Hamas remains solely responsible for the suffering of the population. He said that the group systematically diverts humanitarian aid and construction supplies into military infrastructure while international bodies overlook the practice. Israel continues to press mediators to enforce immediate disarmament across the entire territory as an uncompromised prerequisite for large-scale rebuilding.
The Prime Minister’s Office said that Israel will continue supporting winter preparations in the strip while ensuring that Hamas cannot exploit humanitarian supplies to rehabilitate its terrorist capabilities. Zamir instructed the military to prepare for anticipated claims against Israel ahead of expected public relations challenges.
The military must prepare without waiting for international pressure to escalate, following the security briefing.
