Developing World

Gaza sandbank collapse kills five displaced people

Heavy rain caused a sandbank to collapse in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza, killing five people, including children. Rescue teams reported flooding an estimated 70,000 tents and limited response capacity.

Image from Illustration: Sand embankment collapse kills five displaced people in GazaIllustration

The story so far

On 8 November 2026, heavy rain caused a sandbank to collapse in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, according to Wafa. At least five people, including three children, were killed, and five wounded people were pulled from rubble after their tents were hit. Civil defence teams continued searching for survivors, while national and international institutions called for urgent intervention, safe shelter and winter supplies.

By 9 November, Civil Defence said three children and two women died, while the Hamas-run health ministry later said one woman and three children were killed. Rescue teams reported that flooding had affected an estimated 70,000 tents over the weekend and that they could respond to only 10 percent of 2,100 distress calls.

Latest updates

2 updates · newest first
  1. 9 Nov
    New development

    Sand embankment collapse kills five displaced people in Gaza

    A sand embankment collapsed onto tents sheltering displaced Palestinians south of Deir al-Balah after heavy rain, killing five people. Civil Defence said three children and two women died, while the Hamas-run health ministry later said one woman and three children were killed. Rescue teams reported flooding an estimated 70,000 tents over the weekend and said they could respond to only 10 percent of 2,100 distress calls.

    Middle East Eye ↗BBC News ↗Euronews ↗
  2. 8 Nov
    New development

    Gaza sandbank collapse kills five amid heavy rains

    At least five people, including three children, were killed after heavy rains caused a sandbank to collapse in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, Wafa news reported. Five wounded people were pulled from rubble after their tents were hit, a civil defence spokesman said, and teams continued searching for survivors. National and international institutions said heavy rainfall requires urgent intervention, safe shelter and winter supplies.

    Middle East Eye ↗

Key facts

Heavy rain caused a sandbank collapse in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza.Reported by Middle East Eye
At least five people, including three children, were killed.Reported by Middle East Eye, BBC News and Euronews
Five wounded people were pulled from rubble after their tents were hit.Reported by Middle East Eye
Civil defence said three children and two women died.Reported by Middle East Eye, BBC News and Euronews
The Hamas-run health ministry said one woman and three children were killed.Reported by Middle East Eye, BBC News and Euronews
Rescue teams reported flooding an estimated 70,000 tents over the weekend.Reported by Middle East Eye, BBC News and Euronews

What’s still unknown

Whether rescue teams will find more survivors
How the differing casualty accounts will be reconciled
When displaced families will receive safe shelter and winter supplies

All sources

4 articles

In the daily editions

Related developing stories

Follow this story by email

Get one email when there’s a new update, no more than one a day.