Sand embankment collapse kills three children and one woman in Gaza camp
Rescuers dug survivors from beneath boulders and sand after heavy rain triggered the failure of a barrier near Deir al-Balah.
By Ana Castro ·
For families sleeping in temporary shelters south of Deir al-Balah, the heavy rains that began on Saturday turned their living space into a hazard zone. On Sunday night, a sand embankment gave way and crushed several tents in central Gaza. The Gaza health ministry confirmed that three children and one woman died in the incident. Five other people were injured and rescued from the rubble.
The victims were identified as Tahrir Nabhan, her children Mariam and Salah, and Habiba al-Zein. An initial report from the Civil Defence service on Sunday listed two women among the dead, but the health ministry corrected that figure to one woman on Monday morning. The collapse occurred at a camp housing displaced families. Video footage captured men using the flashlights on their phones to search for survivors trapped under boulders, sand, and collapsed fabric.
Mustafa al-Masri, a resident of the camp, described the rescue effort. He said he and other men used their bare hands to dig the victims out of the sand and rubble. He noted that the mound of sand was huge and wide, and the group did not know how to proceed initially. Al-Masri recounted pulling the children and the woman out by hand. He described the father arriving at the scene, shouting the names of his children, before the bodies were placed in an ambulance and transported to a hospital.
Al-Masri, originally from Beit Hanoun in the north, explained that he remained in central Gaza because there was no suitable alternative location. He searched open areas and hills but could not find a spot that felt safe. His family now lives in a tent that was positioned near the collapsed embankment. The Civil Defence service, which operates under the Hamas-run interior ministry, described the event as a humanitarian tragedy. The service urged international organizations to provide safe shelters and move tents away from sandy areas, slopes, and locations at risk of collapse.
The rainfall on Saturday flooded tens of thousands of tents across the territory. The Civil Defence reported that water levels reached up to 1.5 meters in some places. First responders received 2,100 distress calls but were only able to respond to 10 percent of them. The service warned that the tents of displaced people must not become death traps beneath sand and rainwater.
Karl Baker, the regional crisis co-ordinator for the International Organization for Migration, stated from Gaza that the territory's 2.1 million residents are confined to only 30 percent of the total area. He noted that many people are living in areas that would be considered unsuitable outside of a conflict. His agency is working with partners to secure tents, tarpaulins, and improved drainage systems to help residents survive the winter. Baker warned that current aid levels are insufficient, comparing the support to the smallest of Band-Aids. He called for more in-kind donations and funding to help communities assist themselves.
The United Nations agencies have requested that Israeli authorities allow the entry of specialist equipment to improve living conditions for displaced families. Cogat, the Israeli military body coordinating deliveries, reported on Sunday that more than 91,000 tents and 12 vacuum trucks for waste removal have been delivered since the start of the Gaza Winterization Plan. The body also noted that fuel and engine oil for pumping facilities have arrived. Israel stated it will not permit the entry of equipment that could be used for military purposes by Hamas or other Palestinian armed groups.
According to the United Nations, an estimated 80 percent of all structures in Gaza have been destroyed or damaged since the war began. More than 1.9 million people have been displaced, with 1.2 million currently living in tents or makeshift shelters. The UN warned that the humanitarian situation remains dire despite the ceasefire agreed in October 2025. Israeli air strikes and other attacks continue to hit populated areas, causing casualties and property damage. The conflict was triggered by the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023. Since then, more than 74,640 people have been killed in Gaza, according to the territory's health ministry.
