On Thursday, Britain-based human rights organization Amnesty International said the devastation caused by torrential rains in the Gaza Strip was “entirely preventable” and “was exacerbated by Israel’s ongoing restrictions on the entry of critical supplies to repair critical infrastructure.”
“The writing was on the wall; this was no accident, this was an entirely preventable tragedy. The devastating scenes of flooded tents and collapsed buildings in Gaza in recent days cannot be attributed solely to ‘bad weather’,” Erica Guevara Rosas, Amnesty International’s senior director of research, advocacy, policy and campaigns, said in a statement.
“These are the possible consequences of Israel’s ongoing genocide and its deliberate policy of blocking the entry of shelter and repair materials for the displaced,” he said.
Condemning Israeli military actions in the Gaza Strip, Amnesty said: “Israel must immediately lift its brutal blockade of Gaza and ensure unhindered access for essential goods, repair materials and humanitarian supplies.”
Rain continues to wreak havoc in Gaza
Persistent rain hit the Gaza Strip for days, flooding camps built for displaced persons and collapsing buildings that had already been damaged in the two-year war.
At least 12 deaths, including a 2-week-old baby, were reported on 16 December.
The Gaza Health Ministry said the 2-week-old baby died of hypothermia caused by the weather.
Most of Gaza’s 2 million people are taking shelter in tents. More than 150 milliliters (9 inches) of rain fell in parts of the strip during the past week, causing flooding in camps for displaced people.
International aid groups have demanded that more aid supplies be allowed into Gaza.
Israel continues to prevent the most needed aid from entering the Strip. Recently released Israeli military data shows that the government has not met the ceasefire condition of allowing 600 trucks of aid a day into Gaza. Israel has denied that finding.
Despite a ceasefire agreement that took effect on October 10, Israel and Hamas have repeatedly accused each other of violations.
Since the ceasefire, more than 370 deaths have been reported in Gaza by Palestinian health officials.
Edited by: Elisabeth Schumacher