Al-Azhar, one of the Islamic world’s most prominent religious institutions, has issued an urgent appeal to the international community and Arab and Muslim nations to break the blockade on Gaza and immediately deliver humanitarian assistance, warning that hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians, including infants and children, are facing increasingly dangerous conditions as winter storms sweep through the devastated territory.
The appeal came after heavy rainfall flooded approximately 70,000 tents sheltering displaced families, leaving thousands exposed to freezing temperatures without adequate protection, heating or basic necessities.
In an official statement issued on Sunday, Al-Azhar expressed profound distress over the worsening humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, where severe weather has overwhelmed makeshift displacement camps and emergency shelters.
The institution warned that the suffering of Palestinian civilians, already enduring the consequences of Israel’s continuing blockade and military aggression, is being compounded by the arrival of winter.
Thousands of Families Left Exposed as Winter Storms Sweep Through Gaza
According to Al-Azhar, heavy rainfall and severe weather systems have flooded thousands of deteriorating tents, leaving displaced families struggling to protect themselves from the cold.
Children, women, elderly people and those suffering from illness are among the most vulnerable, with many lacking suitable accommodation, fuel or heating equipment.
Al-Azhar warned that hundreds of thousands of civilians, including newborn babies, remain exposed to freezing temperatures and flooding while being deprived of the most basic requirements for safe shelter.
The institution stressed that such conditions demand an immediate international response, not merely expressions of concern.
It called on governments, international organisations and communities worldwide to recognise the scale of the emergency and take practical measures to protect civilian lives.
Al-Azhar also cautioned against allowing the distressing scenes emerging from Gaza to become another series of news reports consumed by international audiences without meaningful intervention.
It argued that the international community must move beyond documenting Palestinian suffering and take concrete steps to safeguard the lives, dignity and fundamental rights of those affected.
Al-Azhar Calls for Breaking Gaza’s Blockade and Establishing Emergency Aid Corridors
Al-Azhar urged international relief agencies, humanitarian organisations, Arab and Muslim governments, and their populations to accelerate efforts to overcome the restrictions imposed on Gaza.
Its appeal specifically called for the immediate establishment of emergency supply routes capable of delivering essential winter assistance.
Among the urgently needed supplies are waterproof tents, heating equipment, food and medical provisions.
The institution emphasised that these materials must be allowed to enter the Gaza Strip without obstruction, warning that delays could further endanger civilians already living in extremely precarious conditions.
Al-Azhar described responding to the emergency as both a humanitarian and religious obligation, insisting that the deteriorating situation leaves no room for hesitation or inaction.
With winter conditions intensifying, it warned that the consequences of failing to provide adequate shelter and essential supplies could become increasingly severe for displaced families.
Oman’s Grand Mufti Urges Muslims to Support Gaza Financially
The appeal from Al-Azhar was accompanied by a separate call from Sheikh Ahmed bin Hamad Al-Khalili, the Grand Mufti of Oman, who urged Muslims to urgently provide financial assistance to Palestinians affected by the devastating rainfall and flooding.
In a statement published on his official account on X, Al-Khalili expressed solidarity with families whose temporary shelters had been inundated.
“We have learned of what our brothers in Gaza have suffered as a result of the heavy rainfall and the torrents that swept through their homes. We extend our sympathy to them and pray to Almighty Allah to relieve their crisis, ease their distress and remove their suffering,” he said.
The Grand Mufti also called upon Muslims to translate their sympathy into immediate material support.
“We call upon all Muslims to support them with their wealth, hasten to provide them with assistance, and share with them the blessings that Allah has bestowed upon them,” he added.
Al-Khalili supported his appeal by citing Qur’anic verses encouraging charitable giving, generosity and assistance to those in need.
His statement reinforced the religious dimension of the humanitarian response, urging Muslim communities to contribute directly to relief efforts as Gaza’s displaced population confronts another emergency.
Gaza Civil Defence Receives More Than 1,500 Distress Calls
The humanitarian situation deteriorated sharply from early Saturday when Gaza experienced its first powerful weather system of the winter season.
Heavy rainfall caused widespread flooding across displacement camps, with approximately 70,000 tents reportedly inundated.
Gaza’s Civil Defence announced that it had received more than 1,500 emergency calls from families whose tents had been overwhelmed by floodwater.
However, rescue teams reported being unable to respond adequately to the scale of the disaster.
According to the Civil Defence, the destruction of essential equipment, shortages of operational resources and insufficient fuel have severely restricted its ability to assist affected families.
The heavy rainfall also caused dozens of already damaged walls and roofs to collapse, resulting in injuries, some of them serious.
The structural damage reflects the dangers facing civilians who remain in buildings and shelters weakened by the destruction of Gaza’s residential areas and infrastructure.
For families displaced into temporary accommodation, the arrival of severe winter weather has created an additional emergency in a territory where essential services and humanitarian resources have already been severely depleted.
UN Warns 950,000 Displaced Palestinians Face Flooding Risks
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) estimates that approximately 950,000 displaced Palestinians are living in areas vulnerable to flooding across the Gaza Strip.
The danger is intensified by the widespread destruction of homes, public infrastructure and stormwater drainage networks during Israel’s war on Gaza.
With drainage systems damaged and large numbers of families living in temporary shelters, heavy rainfall poses an immediate threat to communities already struggling to secure basic living conditions.
The scale of the flooding has added urgency to appeals for winterised shelters, emergency medical assistance and unrestricted humanitarian deliveries.
Al-Azhar’s warning comes as religious leaders and humanitarian responders call for immediate intervention to prevent Gaza’s displaced population from facing further suffering as winter takes hold.
For hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, the immediate challenge is no longer simply finding shelter after displacement, but finding shelter capable of protecting them from the rain, flooding and freezing temperatures.
