GAZA, (Palestine Foundation Information Center), Gaza City Mayor Yahya Al-Sarraj warned on Tuesday of a rapidly worsening humanitarian catastrophe as municipal and rescue services struggle to cope with a powerful winter storm amid severe shortages caused by Israel’s ongoing genocide and blockade.
Al-Sarraj said emergency and rescue crews have been operating “with their hands tied” since the early hours of the night, as floodwaters surged through streets and waste spread following violent winds.
He said municipalities across the Gaza Strip have lost more than 85 percent of their vehicles and equipment, leaving responders unable to meet escalating needs due to acute shortages of fuel, machinery, and basic tools.
Speaking to Al Jazeera Net, the mayor said blocked rainwater drainage systems and flooding in low-lying areas have further obstructed emergency teams. He added that worn-out tents sheltering displaced families offer virtually no protection from cold and rain, compounding the suffering of thousands.
The collapse of damaged homes during the storm claimed the lives of four people overnight, most of them women and children, Al-Sarraj said. Among the victims was an infant who died from extreme cold inside a tent in Deir al-Balah, underscoring the deadly intersection of harsh weather and the absence of emergency relief capacity.
Health conditions across Gaza are also deteriorating sharply, he said, as shortages of medicines, medical staff, and fuel leave even treatable illnesses potentially fatal.
“Basic treatments and emergency medical procedures are no longer available,” Al-Sarraj said, adding that municipalities and civil defense teams are unable to respond to the growing volume of distress calls beyond their severely limited capacity.
The crisis is unfolding amid tight Israeli restrictions on the entry of essential supplies, including fuel and shelter materials such as prefabricated housing and cement. About 2.4 million Palestinians are living in catastrophic conditions driven by the destruction and siege, despite the entry into force of the first phase of a ceasefire agreement.
The World Health Organization has said more than 18,500 people in Gaza, including 4,000 children, remain in urgent need of medical evacuation, calling on additional countries to receive patients as Gaza’s healthcare system continues to collapse.
Al-Sarraj renewed calls for urgent international action to end what he described as a policy of “torturing civilians,” allow the entry of life-saving materials, and prevent cold and rain from claiming more lives.
With US backing, Israel has waged a genocide in Gaza since October 7, 2023, killing more than 71,000 Palestinians and wounding over 171,000, most of them women and children. Despite the ceasefire framework, Israeli occupation authorities continue to severely restrict the entry of food, medicines, medical supplies, and shelter materials into the enclave.
