Sand Embankment Collapse in Gaza Kills Children and Women

A sand embankment collapsed onto tents at a displaced families camp south of Deir al-Balah on Sunday night after heavy rain, killing three children and two women and injuring five people, first responders said.

Video footage showed rescuers using mobile phone torches to search for survivors beneath boulders, sand and collapsed tents. Gaza’s Hamas-run Civil Defence called the incident a “humanitarian tragedy” and urged international organisations to provide safe shelters and move tents away from sandy areas, slopes and locations at risk of collapse.

Torrential rain on Saturday flooded tens of thousands of tents across Gaza, leaving many Palestinians without a dry place to sleep. The Civil Defence reported water levels up to 1.5m in some places and said its first responders were able to respond to only 10% of the 2,100 distress calls they received.

Karl Baker, the International Organization for Migration’s regional crisis co-ordinator, said from Gaza that the territory’s 2.1 million population was confined to only 30% of its total area and that many people were forced to live in areas particularly prone to flooding. He said the UN agency and its partners were trying to ensure adequate tents, tarpaulins and improved drainage in camps, but warned that incoming aid was insufficient and called for more support in kind and funding.

The rescue operation was hampered by the lack of heavy machinery. UN agencies have called on Israeli authorities to allow specialist equipment and materials needed to improve living conditions for displaced families. Cogat stated that more than 91,000 tents, 12 vacuum trucks for waste removal, and fuel and engine oil for pumping facilities have been delivered since the start of the Gaza Winterization Plan, while adding that Israel would not permit entry of equipment that could be used for military purposes.

The UN estimates that an estimated 80% of structures in Gaza have been destroyed or damaged during the war between Israel and Hamas. More than 1.9 million people have been displaced, with 1.2 million currently living in tents or makeshift shelters. The UN has warned that the humanitarian situation remains dire despite the ceasefire agreed in October 2025, as Israeli air strikes and other attacks continue to hit populated areas, causing casualties and further displacement.

The Gaza war was triggered by the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, when about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage. Since then, more than 74,640 people have been killed in Gaza, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry.

Liberal News Analysis: What Does This Development Mean?

The collapse highlights the acute vulnerability of displaced populations in Gaza living in overcrowded and hazardous conditions where heavy rain can quickly turn shelters into death traps. Limited access to heavy machinery and restrictions on certain types of equipment complicate rescue efforts and infrastructure improvements. Despite deliveries under the Gaza Winterization Plan, aid and material access remain insufficient to address the scale of destruction and displacement described by UN and local agencies.

Quick Glance: What You Need to Know

• Five people were reported injured and rescued after a sand embankment collapse at a displaced families camp south of Deir al-Balah.
• Three children and two women were killed when sand and collapsed tents buried part of the camp.
• Heavy rain flooded tens of thousands of tents and raised water levels to as much as 1.5m in some locations.
• Gaza’s Civil Defence received 2,100 distress calls and could respond to only 10% due to resource limits.
• The International Organization for Migration and UN partners reported shortages of adequate aid, tents and drainage improvements for winter.
• Cogat reported deliveries of tents and waste removal equipment but maintained restrictions on equipment that could have military use.
• The UN states that an estimated 80% of Gaza structures have been destroyed or damaged and that 1.9 million people have been displaced.