Gaza Winter Crisis: Death Toll Rises as Severe Storms Submerge Displacement Camps

London, UK – December 31, 2025

The humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip reached a new, deadly peak on Monday as a powerful winter storm—the second major system this month—battered the enclave’s sprawling displacement camps.

Heavy rainfall and gale-force winds have turned temporary shelters into muddy swamps, leading to the confirmed deaths of at least 17 Palestinians in December alone, including a 30-year-old woman killed by a collapsing wall on Sunday.

With over 90% of the population displaced and roughly 235,000 people directly impacted by the current flooding, international aid agencies are warning of a “man-made” disaster being compounded by extreme weather and a persistent blockade on essential winter supplies.

The Fatal Impact of Storm and Siege

The latest victim of the inclement weather was a woman in the Al-Rimal neighborhood of Gaza City, who was crushed when the wall of a building—previously weakened by years of military bombardment—collapsed onto her family’s tent during the height of the storm.

Elsewhere, a seven-year-old child tragically drowned after falling into a rainwater-filled well in Jabalia.

These deaths bring the total number of weather-related fatalities this month to 17, including four children and infants who succumbed to hypothermia as temperatures plummeted toward 6°C.

In Khan Younis, where tens of thousands have sought refuge on the coast, rising seawater and torrential rains have flooded beachside tents with ankle-deep water.

Survivors describe waking up to find their mattresses, blankets, and only remaining sets of clothing completely soaked in muddy water. “We are exhausted.

We just want mattresses and covers,” pleaded Fatima Abu Omar, a mother attempting to prop up her collapsing shelter against the wind. “The tent flew away. We do not know what to do or where to go.”

A “Man-Made” Disaster Exposed

Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of UNRWA, has described the current suffering as entirely preventable.

While a ceasefire agreement signed in October was intended to allow a surge in humanitarian aid, the delivery of specialized winterization materials—including waterproof tarpaulins, insulated flooring, and prefabricated housing—remains severely restricted.

UNRWA reports that at least 53,000 displacement tents have been partially or fully destroyed since the winter season began.

The lack of fuel for heating and the destruction of the enclave’s sewage infrastructure have created a perfect storm for disease.

Civil defense teams have spent the last five hours attempting to pump water from flooded camps in Deir al-Balah, but the sheer volume of rainfall has overwhelmed the municipality’s remaining resources.

Local officials estimate that Gaza urgently needs 200,000 prefabricated housing units to prevent further loss of life among the most vulnerable residents.

The Political Standoff in Florida

The timing of the storm is particularly poignant as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu traveled to Florida on Monday for high-stakes talks with U.S. President Donald Trump.

While the “Florida Proposal” focuses on the long-term security of the region, the immediate crisis in the camps highlights the gap between high-level diplomacy and the lived reality of millions.

Despite the official end of a “famine” classification earlier this month, the UN warns that 77% of the population still faces acute hunger, which significantly lowers the body’s ability to withstand the freezing winter temperatures.

Key Highlights of the Gaza Winter Crisis:

 • Casualty Milestone: 17 Palestinians have died since the onset of the low-pressure system in December, primarily from hypothermia and building collapses.

 • Mass Displacement: Approximately 235,000 people are currently living in flooded or destroyed shelters across the Gaza Strip.

 • Environmental Danger: Rising sea levels in Khan Younis and mudslides in Deir al-Balah have rendered thousands of tents uninhabitable.

 • Aid Blockade: Essential winter supplies, including waterproof fabric and heating fuel, remain stuck at border crossings despite ceasefire promises.

 • Emergency Appeal: Civil defense authorities are calling for the immediate entry of 200,000 mobile homes to prevent a mass-casualty event due to cold exposure.

CJ Global Investigative Insight

Our sources within the humanitarian coordination cells reveal an “exclusive secret”: over 4,000 trucks of aid are currently idling at border staging areas, with many carrying specifically requested “winterization kits.” The delay is reportedly due to new vetting procedures and disputes over the distribution of the “Prosperity Fund” mentioned in the Florida peace negotiations. Essentially, the immediate survival of Gaza’s children is being used as a secondary bargaining chip in the broader territorial settlement discussions.

As the storm continues to lash the coast, the families of the displacement camps are left with a harrowing choice: stay in crumbling, high-risk buildings or freeze in the mud of the open squares. CJ Global will continue to investigate the political holdup of the aid trucks and the impact of the Florida summit on the immediate survival of Gaza’s most vulnerable.