Gaza flood deaths 'utterly preventable,' Amnesty says

Amnesty International has blamed Israel for the scale of devastation in Gaza and said it ''cannot be blamed solely on 'bad weather.''' At least 12 people, including a newborn baby, have died.

On Thursday, UK-based human rights organization Amnesty International said the devastation from torrential rains in the Gaza strip was ''utterly preventable'' and ''was fueled by Israel's ongoing restrictions on the entry of critical supplies to repair vital infrastructure.''

"The writing was on the wall; this was no accident, it was an utterly preventable tragedy. The devastating scenes of flooded tents and collapsed buildings in Gaza that have emerged in recent days cannot be blamed solely on ‘bad weather','' Amnesty International's senior director for research, advocacy, policy and campaigns,  Erika Guevara Rosas, said in a statement.

''They are the foreseeable consequences of Israel's ongoing genocide and deliberate policy of blocking the entry of shelter and repair materials for the displaced,” she added.

Condemning the Israeli army's actions in the Gaza Strip, Amnesty said:''Israel must immediately lift its cruel blockade on Gaza and ensure unfettered access for essential goods, repair materials and humanitarian supplies.”

Rain wreaks havoc in Gaza

Incessant rains battered the Gaza Strip for days, flooding camps for the displaced, and collapsing buildings that were already damaged in the two-year war.

At least 12 people, including a 2-week-old baby, were reported dead on December 16.

The Gaza Health Ministry reported that the 2-week-old died of hypothermia as a result of the weather.

The majority of the 2 million people in Gaza are taking shelter in tents. The Strip saw more than 150 milliliters (9 inches) of rain in some parts over the past week, causing flooding in camps for displaced people.

International aid groups have demanded that more aid supplies be allowed to enter Gaza.

Israel has continued to block most essential aid  from entering the Strip. Recently released Israeli military figures suggest that the government hasn't met the ceasefire stipulation of allowing 600 trucks of aid into Gaza a day. Israel has refuted that finding.

Despite a ceasefire agreement that took effect on October 10, Israel and Hamas have accused each other of repeated violations. 

Since the truce, more than 370 deaths have been reported in Gaza by the Palestinian health officials.

Edited by: Elizabeth Schumacher