Floods Leave 1.4 Million People in Gaza Living in Tents

Why are these drones important in the war?

Many drones use radio signals. Electronic warfare can block those signals, which is called jamming. A fiber-optic cable connects the operator and drone directly, so jamming cannot easily stop it.

That gives these drones an important advantage.

Yes. They have become a common weapon in Ukraine. After a drone is used, its cable can be left in fields and caught in trees.

Who first used these drones in the conflict?

Russia first used fiber-optic drones against Ukrainian forces in the Kursk region in 2024. Ukraine then quickly developed its own fiber-optic drones.

Where do the two sides get the cable?

Ukraine and Russia have both relied on suppliers in China. They buy drones and many drone parts there, including fiber-optic cable.

How is the cable prepared for a drone?

It can come on very large spools, or on smaller finished spools ready to install inside a drone.

And how far can a drone fly with this cable?

They can regularly operate over dozens of miles. In extreme cases, they can reach up to 62 miles, or 100 kilometres.

That must require a huge amount of cable.

It does. Ukraine and Russia are estimated to produce about 50,000 fiber-optic drones each month. The cable is usually used only once on the battlefield.

Why has it become more expensive for Ukrainian makers?

Drone makers are competing for limited supplies with AI data centers around the world. These centers also need optical fiber.

Does Russia have more success importing it from China?

China’s official customs data suggests that it does. Russia has closer economic and security ties with China. In August 2025, Russia imported 328,000 miles of fiber-optic cable from China. Ukraine received 72 miles from Chinese companies.

What does this mean for Ukraine’s drone makers?

They are adapting as the cable becomes harder and more costly to import. These drones remain valuable because they can keep working when radio-controlled drones are jammed.

Thank you, Mia.

Our second story is about Gaza, where heavy rain has flooded many tents.

Owen is LinguaWire’s correspondent for security, and he has been covering this story.

Hello, Daniel. Heavy rain has flooded tens of thousands of tents in Gaza, where many displaced people are living.

What has the Board of Peace said about the situation?

The Board of Peace has called on Israel to immediately allow all necessary humanitarian supplies into Gaza. It said Israel’s response remains insufficient.

What is the Board of Peace?

It is a US-backed body set up to oversee President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan.

What help do people need after the rain?

The Board said Gaza needs goods for temporary shelter, water, and sanitation infrastructure. This includes systems for water and for treating sewage.

How many people are living in tents or temporary shelters?

The United Nations says about 65% of Gaza’s population, around 1.4 million people, live in tents or makeshift shelters. Most people have been displaced because of Israel’s military actions.

Have there been deaths in the recent weather?

Yes. On Sunday, three children and a woman were killed when a sand embankment collapsed onto tents in central Gaza.

What are people in the tents saying about conditions?

A man in Gaza City said heavy rain came from one side while sewage overflowed from the other. He said people had lost their bedding and food. A woman said there were seven children inside her tent, including five young children.

What does Israel say about aid entering Gaza?

Israel’s military agency that coordinates aid said it had allowed in tens of thousands of tents and trucks carrying winter supplies. It also said reconstruction can begin only after Hamas fully disarms.

The Board criticised Israel. Did it also mention Hamas?

Yes. The Board said Hamas has failed to disarm and transfer power to a transitional government. It said this has added to the difficulties for civilians in Gaza.

Is more aid ready to enter Gaza?

The UN humanitarian agency says more than 150,000 tents are waiting outside Gaza. It says Israeli restrictions on supplies and equipment, and a lack of funding, are limiting aid work.

What needs to happen next?

The UN humanitarian coordinator, Ramiz Alakbarov, says essential shelter and winter supplies inside Gaza have run out. He says Israeli authorities must immediately lift restrictions on supplies entering Gaza.

Thank you, Owen.

Part one: vocabulary.

Shelter.

Shelter is a temporary place to live or stay safely; in the story, “The Board said Gaza needs goods for temporary shelter, water, and sanitation infrastructure.”

After the storm, the family needed shelter.

Sanitation.

Sanitation means systems for safe water and waste treatment; in the story, “The Board said Gaza needs goods for temporary shelter, water, and sanitation infrastructure.”

Good sanitation helps keep people healthy.

Restriction.

Restrictions are rules that limit what people can do; in the story, “It says Israeli restrictions on supplies and equipment, and a lack of funding, are limiting aid work.”

The park has restrictions on fires.

Part two: the grammar.

Comparatives: harder and more costly.

Use -er with short adjectives and more with longer adjectives to compare things.

In the story, “They are adapting as the cable becomes harder and more costly to import.”

This route is shorter and more convenient.

Repeat after me: They are adapting as the cable becomes harder and more costly to import.