Gaza Herald — Municipal authorities in Khan Younis have warned that more than 900,000 Palestinians, including hundreds of thousands of displaced people living in makeshift tents, face a growing risk of severe flooding as winter storms approach southern Gaza.
At an emergency committee news conference, Khan Younis Mayor Ala al-Din al-Batta said the city now shelters nearly 40% of Gaza’s population following successive waves of displacement, particularly from Rafah.
Hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians are concentrated in low-lying areas in western Khan Younis, where fragile tents and damaged infrastructure offer little protection against heavy rainfall and strong winds.
The warning comes amid widespread destruction of the city’s infrastructure. According to municipal officials, Israeli military operations have destroyed or damaged more than 85% of Khan Younis’s roads, public utility networks and stormwater drainage systems.
The damage has severely weakened the municipality’s ability to respond to flooding, particularly in densely populated displacement camps.
Emergency operations are further complicated by Israeli military restrictions on access to areas beyond the so-called Yellow Line, which separates zones under Israeli military control from other parts of the Gaza Strip.
Municipal officials warned that damaged drainage networks, blocked roads and restrictions on movement could turn seasonal rainfall into a life-threatening emergency for displaced families.
17 Million Tons of Rubble Obstruct Flood Prevention Efforts
According to the municipality’s emergency committee, more than 17 million tons of rubble remain across Khan Younis Governorate, blocking roads and obstructing surviving stormwater drainage systems.
Mayor al-Batta said most municipal engineering vehicles and heavy machinery were destroyed during Israeli military operations, while much of the remaining equipment is more than 20 years old.
Shortages of fuel, lubricants and spare parts have further limited the municipality’s ability to operate its surviving machinery.
Meanwhile, donated water pumps, heavy excavators and emergency generators remain unable to enter Gaza because of Israeli restrictions at border crossings, according to municipal officials.
Some of the equipment has reportedly been awaiting entry for more than a year, despite the urgent need to clear debris, restore drainage networks and prepare for winter storms.
The shortage of functioning machinery has left emergency crews struggling to carry out essential flood prevention work in areas already devastated by prolonged military operations.
Heavy Rain Threatens Displacement Camps With Flooding and Sewage Contamination
Khan Younis municipal spokesperson Saeb Laqan warned that an approaching low-pressure weather system could bring heavy rainfall and strong winds, placing displaced families at heightened risk.
He said municipal crews lack the equipment and resources needed to respond effectively to severe flooding.
Officials expressed particular concern about low-lying displacement camps, where heavy rainfall could inundate tents and residential areas with floodwater contaminated by untreated sewage.
Such flooding would pose serious health and safety risks to families already facing overcrowding, inadequate sanitation and limited access to essential services.
Municipal authorities called for the immediate entry of heavy engineering equipment, high-capacity water pumps, generators, fuel and spare parts to help restore drainage systems and strengthen emergency preparedness.
They warned that without urgent access to the necessary equipment and supplies, winter storms could trigger further displacement, widespread flooding and a deepening humanitarian emergency across southern Gaza.
