Gaza Under Fire: Israeli Strikes Kill Five, UN Appeals for Tents Amidst Flooding Crisis

Displaced Palestinians are assessing the damage to the al-Absi family's tent in the Sheikh Radwan area, north of Gaza City, following recent Israeli attacks. These strikes have resulted in the deaths of at least five Palestinians in Gaza. Concurrently, the United Nations has issued an emergency appeal for waterproof tents to provide shelter for hundreds of thousands of people exposed to flooding caused by heavy rains.

On Wednesday, an Israeli air attack claimed the life of 38-year-old Mohammed Salem al-Daash in the al-Sabra neighbourhood, south of Gaza City. In central Gaza, another Palestinian was shot and killed by Israeli forces east of the al-Bureij camp. Additionally, an Israeli drone strike in the al-Nasr neighbourhood, northwest of Gaza City, led to a Palestinian fatality. In the Sheikh Radwan neighbourhood, north of Gaza City, at least two Palestinians were killed and several others injured when a strike targeted a tent sheltering displaced individuals.

Al Jazeera's Hind Khoudary, reporting from Gaza City, characterized the Israeli attacks as indiscriminate, stating that civilians attempting to survive lost their lives. She cited examples such as a man killed by a drone strike while filling a water tank, and two brothers from the al-Absi family who were killed while sheltering in their tent on al-Jalaa Street, emphasizing that nowhere in Gaza is safe.

These attacks occur as the UN appeals for more tents, with Gaza’s Government Media Office reporting that at least 70,000 tents were flooded during weekend rains. UNICEF reports that heavy rain has affected at least 106,000 people in Gaza, submerging thousands of tents for displaced Palestinians and causing latrines to overflow into camps.

Non-governmental organizations and local groups report lacking the resources to manage the crisis, exacerbated by Israel's continued restrictions on essential aid entry. UN deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq stressed the need for Israeli authorities to cooperate by granting permissions for tent deliveries, noting that Israeli permits are required in addition to funding. Tom Fletcher, the UN under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs, mentioned that some countries supporting aid deliveries are waiting for the formation of an Israeli government, a delay he deemed unacceptable given international law and the consequences of such delays.

In response to the crisis, Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani announced on Wednesday that Rome has initiated a new emergency initiative valued at 5 million euros ($5.5m) to provide immediate assistance to the Gaza Strip. Medical sources informed the Palestinian Wafa news agency that the death toll from the Israeli war in Gaza has reached 74,653 civilians since October 7, 2023, with an additional 176,007 Palestinians injured. Since the Gaza “ceasefire” agreement on October 11, 2025, Israel has killed 1,622 Palestinians and injured 5,878 others.