Gaza Herald – The Government Media Office in the Gaza Strip reported that four Palestinians were killed and two others went missing, including women and children, following a sand cliff collapse on displaced tents in Deir al-Balah. This incident occurred simultaneously with hundreds of tents being flooded by an atmospheric depression. The office clarified in a press statement issued Monday that the disaster coincided with the onset of the first such weather system to hit the sector.
The statement emphasized that the collapse of sand and the flooding of shelter camps reflect the severity of the humanitarian situation faced by displaced persons amid ongoing siege and destruction. It added that the reduction of displacement areas and the movement of what is known as the “Yellow Line” forced citizens to seek refuge in highly dangerous geographical areas lacking basic life and safety requirements.
The office held Israel, the US administration, and the international community fully and directly responsible for the disaster. It argued that preventing the entry of shelter supplies, construction materials, mobile homes, fuel, and spare parts for municipal and civil defense machinery exacerbated the conditions. It criticized the Peace Council and the National Committee for Managing Gaza for their handling of the crisis.
It called for immediate action to save displaced persons and enhance local institutional capacities. The office urged the UN, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and international human rights institutions to intervene urgently to protect civilians and pressure for opening crossings to bring humanitarian aid and heavy equipment. It also called on shelter committees and citizens to cooperate with municipal teams, specifically by opening the Deir al-Balah municipality’s sand quarry to protect remaining tents from flooding.
The office confirmed that civil defense and municipal institutions are operating with nearly non-existent capabilities. It stressed the urgent need for material and moral support for these entities rather than waiting for new humanitarian disasters. The report highlights the critical vulnerability of displaced populations due to restricted access to essential resources and the deteriorating environmental conditions caused by the weather system.
This report was produced in the Gaza Herald newsroom.
