Torrential rainfall triggers a deadly sandbank collapse at a displacement camp in Deir al-Balah, highlighting the dangers facing thousands of Palestinian families living in temporary shelters.
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip, November 8, 2026 — Five Palestinians, including four children, were killed after a rain-soaked sand embankment collapsed onto tents at a displacement camp in central Gaza, according to local Civil Defence authorities.
The incident occurred south of Deir al-Balah as heavy winter rainfall swept across the Gaza Strip, flooding thousands of temporary shelters. Civil Defence spokesperson Mahmoud Basal said rescue teams recovered the bodies of a woman and four children from beneath the sand. Six other people were injured, some reportedly in critical condition. The collapse affected tents sheltering two displaced families, while search operations continued for a missing child. Local authorities reported that approximately 70,000 tents had been flooded following the first heavy rains, leaving displaced families increasingly exposed to flooding, cold weather and unsafe shelter conditions.
