Nearly 795,000 displaced Palestinians in Gaza are at severe flood risk after storm Byron made landfall this weekend, the United Nations migration agency reported. Rainfall is expected to continue in the hours ahead, further straining conditions for families already living in unsafe shelters.

Heavy rain has begun falling across hundreds of displacement sites, overwhelming areas where even moderate rainfall can quickly become dangerous. Despite the ceasefire, displaced Palestinians continue to live in overcrowded areas with little protection against rising water levels.

“With the very poor hygiene conditions and very limited sanitation system available, we are extremely concerned to see the spreading of waterborne diseases,” the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said.

It warned of a surge in acute watery diarrhoea and fears of further disease outbreaks. Children and families were suffering winter storms in makeshift tents. “Everything was completely damp…the mattresses were wet; the children’s clothes were wet. It’s extremely difficult to live in those conditions.”

In contrast, people in Tel Aviv just 45 miles from Gaza are living in the security and comfort of well provided homes with support from ample weather alerts, extensive help, heating and easy access to efficient health facilities.

Conditions are especially dire since Gaza’s health system for mothers and newborns has been “decimated”, the UN human rights office noted. About 94 per cent of Gaza’s hospitals have been damaged or destroyed, leaving pregnant women and newborns without essential care.

“The Israeli blockade has also prevented the entry of objects indispensable to the survival of civilians, including medical supplies and nutrients required to sustain pregnancies and ensure safe childbirth,” it said.

Israeli restrictions have cut off medical supplies and are driving sharp rises in maternal deaths, miscarriages and newborn fatalities amid mass displacement and hunger.

Women in Gaza were three times more likely to die in childbirth and three times more likely to miscarry compared with pre-war levels, while newborn deaths also increased, it added.

The blockade has driven severe shortages of food and baby formula. Reportedly, as of October 2025, 463 Palestinians have died from malnutrition, including 157 children.

Despite the declaration of a cease-fire, humanitarian aid agencies operating in Gaza are struggling to do their jobs.

The cease-fire’s terms required the entry of around 600 trucks of food and other supplies every day but far fewer trucks are being allowed to enter. While the quantity and the quality of supplies have increased and improved, minimum requirements remain unmet.

Aid organizations are also facing serious challenges brought on by major cuts to U.S. foreign aid under President Donald Trump and reduced aid from Europe partly because of the Ukraine war. UN humanitarians expect thousands of deaths if the aid cuts persist.