In Gaza, children are no longer dying only from bombs and bullets. They are also dying because they have nowhere safe to sleep.

The day before yesterday, heavy rain flooded thousands of tents sheltering displaced Palestinians. Families woke up surrounded by water. Their mattresses, blankets and remaining belongings were soaked. Some shelters collapsed.

According to the United Nations, five people, including three children, were killed when a sand hill collapsed onto tents in Deir al-Balah. An infant also reportedly drowned in another incident.

These deaths raise a painful question.

How can millions of Palestinians live under international law, while the international system cannot even guarantee them a safe place to sleep?

How can millions of Palestinians live under international law, while the international system cannot even guarantee them a safe place to sleep?

The United Nations estimates that 1.4 million people in Gaza live in tents or temporary shelters. UNICEF warns that around 950,000 displaced people live in areas exposed to flooding, including 400,000 in locations facing extremely high risks.

Yet more than 150,000 tents purchased by humanitarian organizations and governments remain outside Gaza, waiting to enter.

This is not simply a natural disaster. It is the result of years of destruction, displacement, damaged infrastructure and restrictions that have left people unable to protect themselves from ordinary winter weather.

And it exposes a much bigger problem: the gap between international law and the international order that is supposed to enforce it.

Gaza is not outside international law

International law was created to protect people, especially during armed conflicts.

The Geneva Conventions establish basic rules for protecting civilians. They prohibit attacks directed against civilians, collective punishment and starvation as a method of warfare. They also protect hospitals, medical workers and humanitarian operations.

International courts have spoken, but Gaza continues to suffer

Since the war began, international courts have taken important legal steps.

In January 2024, the International Court of Justice ordered Israel to take measures to prevent acts prohibited under the Genocide Convention and enable urgently needed humanitarian assistance.

The Court issued further orders in March and May 2024.

These orders are legally binding, although they do not represent a final judgment that genocide has occurred.

In October 2025, the........

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