GAZA: At least four Palestinians, including three children, were killed after a landslide struck tents sheltering displaced families in central Gaza amid heavy rainfall, while five others were rescued with injuries, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
The incident occurred late Sunday night at a camp housing displaced families in central Gaza. The victims included three children and a woman, while rescue teams recovered five injured people from beneath the debris.
Videos circulating on social media showed local residents and emergency workers searching through rocks, sand and collapsed tents using mobile phone flashlights in an effort to rescue survivors.
Gaza’s Civil Defence described the incident as a humanitarian tragedy and urged international organisations to take immediate measures to provide safer shelters for displaced Palestinians.
It also called for relocating tents away from sandy areas, slopes and locations vulnerable to landslides to prevent further casualties.
The tragedy followed heavy storms on Saturday that flooded thousands of tents across the Gaza Strip, leaving displaced families exposed to severe weather conditions.
According to the Civil Defence, floodwater reached depths of nearly five feet in some areas. Rescue workers received around 2,100 emergency calls but were able to respond to only 10 per cent of them.
The department warned that protecting the lives of displaced people was an urgent humanitarian responsibility, stressing that their temporary shelters must not become death traps amid heavy rain and shifting sand.
According to United Nations estimates, nearly 80 per cent of buildings across Gaza have been destroyed or damaged as a result of Israeli military operations.
More than 1.9 million Palestinians have been displaced, with many forced to flee their homes multiple times. Around 1.2 million people are currently living in tents or temporary shelters.
The United Nations has warned that the humanitarian situation in Gaza remains critical despite the ceasefire agreement reached in October 2025.
Israeli airstrikes and other military operations continue to affect densely populated areas, causing further casualties, destruction and displacement, according to the report.
