14 Killed, Including 3 Children, as Storm Hits Gaza Strip

Displaced Palestinians ride a donkey-drawn cart on a rain-flooded street in Gaza City, 12 December 2025.

At least 14 people, including three children, were killed in the Gaza Strip over the past 24 hours as a severe winter storm swept across the region.

Most of the deaths were caused by the collapse of weakened buildings, damaged by more than two years of prior air strikes. The three children died from exposure to cold amid a critical shortage of safe shelter.

The storm, known as Byron, has intensified hardships in Gaza even during the temporary lull in conflict between Hamas and Israel.

On Friday, a five-story building in Gaza City collapsed, killing two of eight family members sheltering inside. Civil defence teams rescued the remaining six, but nearby structures remain unstable and at risk of collapse.

Civil defence officials said approximately 27,000 tents were destroyed over the last day, and 13 other buildings have recently collapsed, leaving many Palestinians without safe shelter.

Rescue teams continue operations, recovering 11 bodies and aiding six injured people affected by collapsing walls and homes. Authorities warned that the lack of heavy machinery and equipment is hampering recovery efforts as the storm persists.