Five Displaced Palestinians Killed in Gaza Sandbank Collapse Following Heavy Rains

Five displaced Palestinians, including four children and a woman, were killed on Sunday when a rain-drenched sandbank collapsed onto their tent in Deir el-Balah in the central Gaza Strip. Local residents and rescue workers dug through mud and debris using their bare hands to recover victims, while two additional individuals remain missing.

The fatal landslide occurred after the first major winter storm of the season struck the coastal enclave on Friday, bringing heavy rainfall and widespread flooding to low-lying areas. According to local reports, the storm flooded approximately 70,000 tents in encampments housing displaced families, while rainwater inundated buildings previously damaged during military operations.

In a statement issued on Monday, the Gaza Government Media Office held Israel, the United States, and the international community responsible for the disaster, citing the restriction of essential supplies and equipment. The office stated that prohibitions on importing shelter materials, caravans, fuel, and replacement parts have left local civil defense machinery non-operational. It further criticized the Board of Peace and the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, stating that both bodies failed to meet their administrative responsibilities toward the population.

Data released by the humanitarian organization Save the Children indicates that more than 500,000 children in Gaza are currently living in critical or catastrophic shelter conditions. The group stated that although the ceasefire framework announced in October 2025 included provisions for importing prefabricated caravans to replace temporary tents, Israeli authorities have consistently blocked their transit into the territory.

According to Palestinian health officials, more than 74,600 people have been killed in the Gaza Strip since the start of the conflict on October 7, 2023. Official figures also indicate that over 1,600 Palestinians have been killed since the October 2025 ceasefire took effect, as civil defense teams continue efforts to search for the missing in Deir el-Balah.

Written by Christiane Hofreiter christiane.hofreiter@alpineweekly.com