GAZA/GENEVA, Nov 14 (Reuters) - Heavy rain in Gaza on Tuesday brought new concerns and challenges for Palestinians, many of whom are homeless and living in makeshift tents after weeks of Israeli bombardment.
The start of the rainy season and the possibility of flooding increased fears that the densely populated enclave’s sewage system will be overwhelmed and disease will spread.
Ahmed Bayram, a spokesperson for the Norwegian Refugee Council, said the start of the rainy season could mark “the most difficult week in Gaza since the (military) escalation began.”
Facing the daunting scale of the humanitarian needs of Gaza’s 2.3 million people, aid organisations have been unable to plan for the challenges posed by rain and flooding.
“The situation is so volatile and complicated as a result of the hostilities that we have focused really squarely on the humanitarian consequences as they shift from one day to the next,” said William Schomburg, head of the ICRC delegation in Gaza.
The rain brought relief for some displaced Palestinians in the central Gaza Strip town of Deir Al-Balah who had not been able to drink clean and fresh water in the past weeks.
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