Sandbank collapse in Gaza kills five

Displaced people sheltering in tents

A sand embankment collapsed onto tents at a camp south of Deir al-Balah, killing five people and injuring at least five. The dead included four children and two women, according to Middle East Eye; Reuters reported that one woman and three children were killed, including two children aged 8 and 6. Two people were missing, according to the established account. Middle East Eye identified two victims as Mariam Nabhan and her son, Salah Nabhan, and named the other three as Reem al-Zain, Habiba al-Zain and Ibrahim al-Zain. The Gaza Government Media Office criticized what it called global “indifference and inaction.”

Reported Nov 7, 2026 at 7:00 PM ET

Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip

Torrential rain caused the embankment to collapse. The Gaza Government Media Office criticized what it called global “indifference and inaction” after the deaths; residents dug through debris by hand because specialist rescue equipment was in short supply under Israeli military restrictions.