Wearing only sandals and cotton sweaters to protect themselves from the winter rain, Palestinians dug trenches in the muddy ground around their tents in Gaza City's Zeitoun neighbourhood in an effort to keep out encroaching storm waters.

Starting late Wednesday, heavy rains from Storm Byron have swept across the Palestinian territory, flooding tents and makeshift shelters, bringing yet more hardship to Gaza's residents, nearly all of whom have faced displacement in more than two years of war.

In Zeitoun, a child carrying two empty 20-litre jerrycans walked barefoot in the mud to retrieve drinkable water from a temporary water station.

With most of Gaza's buildings destroyed or damaged, thousands of tents and homemade shelters now line areas cleared of rubble.

Although a truce between Israel and militant group Hamas that took effect in October has partially eased restrictions on goods and aid, supplies have entered in insufficient quantities, according to the United Nations, and the humanitarian needs are still immense.

- 'Don't know........

© Al Monitor