Sandbank collapse in Gaza kills five, traps families in tents
High winds and heavy rain caused a collapse south of Deir al-Balah, burying three family members and damaging over 26,000 shelters across the territory.
By Leah Thompson ·
Five people died on Sunday when a sand bank collapsed onto a displacement camp south of Deir al-Balah, Gaza.
The landslide, triggered by high winds and heavy rain, crushed at least three tents and buried residents under sand and rocks. Witnesses described the scene as chaotic and terrifying.
Abdul Karim al-Sahhar, a 30-year-old resident from Izbat Beit Hanoun, said he saw people buried beneath the debris with no visible movement or sound. He noted that one tent vanished completely, leaving no trace behind.
Among the dead were two children, aged eight and six, and their mother. Their father survived because he was outside the tent at the time of the collapse. Al-Sahhar said the father had been called inside to eat but was delayed, allowing him to escape the immediate impact.
The father shouted for help after the ground gave way. Young men rushed to the site and used hammers to break a large boulder that covered the victims. They then dug through the sand and rocks to reach the buried family members.
Abu Darbali, another witness, described the sound of the embankment collapsing as similar to an explosion. He said the mountain of sand covered three tents entirely, hiding the people inside from view. Video footage shared on social media showed rescuers using flashlights, shovels, and hammers to clear the rubble.
The United Nations reported that more than 26,000 households have reported damage to shelters or belongings since the weekend rains began. The majority of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents live in tent camps or destroyed buildings, as reconstruction has not begun following the two-year military conflict that started in October 2023.
Toby Fricker, a Unicef spokesperson, said the collapse was predictable due to extreme overcrowding and poor drainage in the camps. Unicef has been working to improve drainage systems and prevent similar incidents. The Hamas-run government media office stated in a statement that roughly 70,000 tents flooded on the first day of the rainstorms, causing injuries from collapsing walls and roofs.
A ceasefire brokered by the United States last year included plans for eventual reconstruction, but progress has stalled. Negotiators have not agreed on terms for Hamas disarmament or Israeli troop withdrawal, with Israel controlling about two-thirds of the territory. Israel maintains that reconstruction cannot proceed until Hamas is disarmed.
Al-Sahhar said his family is now homeless after their tent and all personal belongings were buried. Mustafa Qazzaat, a Gaza City council member, said Israel has restricted the entry of prefabricated homes and limited the number of tents allowed in since the truce. Humanitarian workers have used wooden poles from food transport pallets because metal tent poles remain a restricted dual-use item. Israel’s Civil Administration said more than 91,000 tents and 8,200 trucks of supplies have reached Gaza, including fuel for pumping facilities. An assessment earlier this year found that tents supplied by China, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia offer limited protection against rain and wind.
