14 Palestinians killed as storm Byron hits Gaza

KABUL (Pajhwok): At least 14 Palestinians have been killed and several others injured after strong winds and heavy rain swept across the Gaza Strip, according to media reports on Saturday.

The severe weather, including powerful winds, torrential rainfall, and the collapse of already damaged structures, has further devastated families displaced by Israel’s assault on the enclave.

Al Jazeera reported, citing Gaza’s Ministry of Interior and National Security, that the storm has compounded an already dire humanitarian situation.

The ministry said five people were killed overnight into Friday when a house sheltering displaced civilians collapsed in the Bir an-Naaja area of northern Gaza. Two more people were killed at dawn after a wall fell onto tents in Gaza City’s Rimal neighbourhood.

A day earlier, another person died following a structural collapse in the Shati refugee camp, while a newborn in al-Mawasi reportedly died due to freezing temperatures.

According to the Interior Ministry, emergency teams have received more than 4,300 distress calls since the storm began and have documented at least 12 building collapses involving structures previously damaged by Israeli strikes.

Relief officials warned that most Gaza residents are currently without adequate shelter, and shortages of tents, winter supplies, and basic humanitarian assistance have significantly worsened conditions on the ground.

kk/sa