GAZA CITY — A woman and four children were killed and others injured after a sand embankment collapsed onto tents sheltering displaced families in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, on Sunday, Palestinian media reported.
Civil Defence spokesman Mahmoud Basal told media that a storm had triggered the collapse of sand and rocks onto the tents in Deir al-Balah.
The deaths come as Palestinians face a fourth consecutive winter without adequate shelter, with heavy rainfall and strong winds worsening conditions for thousands of displaced families living in makeshift camps across the Gaza.
Civil Defence crews and residents were trying to reach those trapped using basic tools, an Anadolu correspondent reported. A power outage and the lack of rescue equipment were hampering their efforts.
Heavy rain and strong winds have battered Gaza since Friday evening. The Government Media Office said the storm had flooded more than 70,000 tents and brought down dozens of walls, causing injuries and material damage.
Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have been forced to live in makeshift shelters after their homes were destroyed during Israel’s genocidal war, which began in October 2023.
Israeli restrictions on building materials and shelter supplies have continued despite a ceasefire in effect between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas since Oct. 10, 2025.
