Five Palestinians Killed in Sand Collapse Near Deir el-Balah

Five Palestinians, including three children and two women, were killed when a sand mound collapsed onto tents sheltering displaced families south of Deir el-Balah in central Gaza following heavy rainfall. According to the Palestinian Civil Defense, several people were trapped under the sand, while rescue teams and local residents used hand tools to search for survivors. Power outages and a lack of rescue equipment hampered the operation, with the injured and victims taken to Al-Aqsa Martyrs and Nasser hospitals. The Civil Defense described the incident as a humanitarian tragedy, warning of the dangers faced by thousands of displaced families living in vulnerable tents. It called for urgent international intervention, safer shelter for displaced Palestinians, and the relocation of tents away from sandy slopes and areas at risk of collapse.