EU commissioner calls for aid access as floods hit Gaza camps

European Commissioner Hadja Lahbib called on Sunday for greater humanitarian aid access to the Gaza Strip. Heavy rains have flooded displacement camps and worsened conditions for families facing a severe crisis.

Lahbib serves as the Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management. She highlighted the dire situation faced by displaced populations who are currently sheltering in temporary structures across the region.

She wrote on the social media platform X that families in Gaza are bailing water out of their tents with pots and pans. This imagery underscores the lack of proper drainage or equipment.

Lahbib stated that the rain makes a crisis that was already unbearable worse. Her comments come as international attention focuses on the deteriorating living conditions within the enclave during the storm season.

Gaza’s Government Media Office reported that late Friday storms submerged roughly 70,000 tents housing displaced people. The official body noted that infrastructure damage has severely hampered relief efforts in affected areas.

Shortages of emergency equipment further complicate operations. These logistical challenges hinder efforts to provide immediate assistance to those affected by the sudden and heavy flooding events.