The first major storm of the season has devastated displacement camps in Gaza, flooding approximately 70,000 tents within 12 hours, resulting in at least five fatalities and an estimated $3 million in damage, according to Gaza’s Government Media Office. The severe weather struck over the weekend, prompting over 2,100 distress calls to Gaza’s Civil Defence by Monday. Authorities are warning that more than 2,000 buildings are at risk of collapse, with nearly 400,000 displaced individuals residing in areas deemed highly vulnerable.

The storm's impact is exacerbated by Israeli restrictions on essential supplies. Israel is reportedly blocking the entry of 60,000 mobile homes and 200,000 tents, allowing only 20,000 tents into the territory. This comes as approximately 85 percent of homes in Gaza have been destroyed or damaged during the ongoing conflict. The Gaza Crossings and Borders Authority reported that no aid trucks or commercial goods were permitted entry on November 6 and 7, with only five trucks of cooking gas entering the following day.

Humanitarian concerns are escalating as the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) stated that Israel notified the UN on November 1 of its intention to suspend shipments from Egypt. Aid organizations are warning that the daily provision of cooked meals could decrease significantly, from around 600,000 to 330,000, due to these restrictions.

Amidst the humanitarian crisis, violence persists. Gaza’s Ministry of Health reported 20 additional Palestinian deaths in the past week, bringing the total toll since the October 2025 "ceasefire" to 1,613 as of November 9. Among the recent victims were Tahrir Nabhan and her daughter Maryam, and Habiba al-Zein, who died when a sand embankment collapsed onto tents at a displacement site southwest of Deir el-Balah on November 8. Other fatalities include Rimas al-Madhoun, 16, killed in a strike on a tent in Gaza City on November 3; Noura Sheikh al-Eid, killed by tank fire in al-Mawasi; 12-year-old Adnan al-Qirnawi, shot east of Bureij; and Nermin al-Amour and Mahmoud Abu Hammad, killed in a Khan Younis strike on November 8.

The storm and the ongoing casualties unfold against a backdrop of complex political maneuvering in Israel. Hamas has urged mediators to avoid linking the reconstruction of Gaza to political or security conditions. Simultaneously, Arab-led parties within Israel are holding potentially pivotal leverage in the nation's post-election government formation negotiations, despite facing what is described as an ongoing demonization campaign against them and against Arab voting power.

President Isaac Herzog has given opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot the mandate to form a government, following recommendations from 67 members of parliament. This political contestation occurs as the humanitarian situation in Gaza, already dire, faces further strain from extreme weather and continued access restrictions.

The vulnerability of displaced populations in Gaza has been starkly highlighted by the recent storm. The collapse at the Deir el-Balah camp underscores the precarious living conditions faced by tens of thousands, many of whom have been repeatedly displaced by the conflict.

Questions remain about the long-term implications of Israeli restrictions on essential reconstruction materials and humanitarian aid, particularly in the face of such environmental challenges. The interplay between the internal Israeli political landscape and the future of Gaza’s reconstruction and humanitarian access continues to be a critical, unresolved issue.