Storm and Fire: Gaza Reels as Airstrikes Claim Lives Amid Relentless Flooding
At least three Palestinians have been killed in southern Gaza as Israeli airstrikes pierced the early hours, worsening an already harrowing chapter of suffering for thousands of displaced families now fighting for survival under torrential rain. Medical officials in Khan Younis confirmed the deaths after a strike hit the eastern flank of the city. Not long after, more explosions rippled through the Zeitoun district of Gaza City and the outskirts of Rafah, where many had sought refuge, believing the South would offer safety. Yet the skies above Gaza now deliver two kinds of ruin. Floodwaters have swallowed entire tent settlements, drowning possessions, sweeping away food and forcing families to stand through the night just to stay dry. Aid workers say some 13,000 families who lost their homes in the war have been left almost defenseless as rain tears through canvas shelters and cold winds turn the ground to mud. Humanitarian agencies warn that conditions are dire enough to threaten those who have already survived bombardment. Relief groups have struggled to move in essential supplies. Israel continues to block tents, mobile structures, and other shelter materials under the banner of preventing dual-use items from reaching armed groups. Despite a ceasefire, the sense of pause and safety remains illusory. Inside the Israeli government, even senior figures admit the truce may collapse at any moment. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has publicly conceded that he does not know how long the lull will hold. The story unfolding in Gaza now feels like two disasters layered upon each other — a war of fire from above and a flood rising from the earth. The next development could arrive from the sky, from the weather, or from a decision taken far away from those who are living through it.
| 2025-11-17 10:27:37