Storm hits Gaza as ceasefire talks face uncertainty

A child and a woman were killed in a severe storm affecting the Gaza Strip, the region's Civil Defense announced Sunday, underscoring the fragile humanitarian situation as political efforts over the next phase of the Gaza ceasefire face uncertainty.

The authority's spokesperson, Mahmoud Basal, said in a press release that a seven-year-old child died after falling into a well, while a 30-year-old woman was killed by a collapsing wall during heavy wind and rain. Civil Defense teams have responded to dozens of rainwater-flooded tents, assisting residents in pumping out water and clearing drains, Basal said.

Nizar Ayyash, mayor of Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, said most displacement camps in the city have become muddy swamps, as the municipality lacks the resources and equipment to provide adequate assistance. 

Meanwhile, the region's emergency operations room said the Gaza Strip urgently needs around 200,000 prefabricated housing units to meet immediate humanitarian needs and provide safe shelter for displaced families amid harsh weather conditions. 

In a press statement, the agency warned that the storm has destroyed fragile tents and partially collapsed damaged homes, putting residents at serious risk amid cold weather and persistent rainwater leaks.

The deteriorating conditions on the ground come as diplomatic efforts focus on the future governance and security of Gaza following a fragile ceasefire.

U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to push for progress in the stalled Gaza ceasefire when he meets Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday. Netanyahu, who is expected to visit Trump at his Mar-a-Lago beach club in Florida, said discussions would cover the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire, as well as Israel's concerns over Hezbollah in Lebanon and Iran.

All sides agreed in October to Trump's ceasefire plan, which calls for Israel to withdraw from Gaza and for Hamas to give up its weapons and forgo a governing role in the enclave. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said last week that Washington wants a transitional administration – a Board of Peace and a body made up of Palestinian technocrats – to be in place soon, ahead of the deployment of an international security force mandated by a November 17 UN Security Council resolution.

However, deep divisions remain over how, or whether, the next phase can be implemented.

Israel and Hamas have accused each other of major breaches of the deal and appear no closer to accepting the more difficult steps envisaged for the next phase. Hamas has refused to disarm and has not returned the remains of the last Israeli hostage, while Israeli troops remain entrenched in about half of Gaza. Israel has indicated it would resume military action if Hamas is not disarmed peacefully.

Although the fighting has abated since the ceasefire began in October, it has not stopped entirely. Israeli strikes have killed more than 400 Palestinians – most of them civilians, according to Gaza health officials – while Palestinian militants have killed three Israeli soldiers.

(With input from agencies)