Gaza Clinics Shuttered Amid Severe Weather Disruption

Gaza's healthcare system remains in crisis despite the ceasefire agreement, with Palestinian health officials reporting that Israel continues blocking medical supplies and patient evacuations. The situation got worse this week when heavy rains and strong winds destroyed newly built medical facilities and flooded thousands of displacement camps across the territory.

Khalil Al-Daqran, spokesperson for the Palestinian Ministry of Health, said Israel isn't following through on key parts of the ceasefire deal. The country is still preventing medicines and medical equipment from entering Gaza, he explained. At the same time, wounded Palestinians can't leave to get treatment elsewhere.

The numbers show the scale of the problem. Around 16,500 patients and injured people are stuck in Gaza, unable to travel abroad for medical care. Their official paperwork and medical referrals are ready to go, but they can't cross the border.

Weather made things much harder this week. Since Friday, a cold front brought heavy rain and strong winds to Palestinian territories. The storms destroyed medical stations that were just set up to serve local residents. Thousands of tents housing displaced families got flooded in different parts of Gaza.

Health officials are worried about what comes next. Winter is starting, and most displaced people don't have proper shelter. This creates perfect conditions for diseases to spread quickly through crowded camps.

The water situation makes health risks even worse. Sewage water is mixing with drinking water, creating serious contamination problems. In a place where the healthcare system barely functions and medical supplies can't get in, this kind of outbreak could be devastating.

Al-Daqran called on the international community to act fast. Gaza needs tents, mobile homes, and building materials right now, he said. Without immediate help, the health crisis will get much worse as winter weather continues.

For investors and aid organizations, this highlights how quickly humanitarian situations can deteriorate even after ceasefires. Weather events that might cause minor disruptions elsewhere can become major crises in areas where basic infrastructure has been destroyed.