Five killed as storm collapses sand mound onto Gaza tents

Five people, including three children and two women, were killed in Gaza when a sand mound collapsed onto tents housing displaced people during heavy rains, according to the territory's civil defence on Sunday. Rescue teams are continuing to search for missing people at the site south of Deir al-Balah. The collapse occurred at a shelter centre as heavy rain flooded tens of thousands of tents across Gaza, leaving many families without shelter. The Hamas-run government media office reported about 70,000 tents were flooded on the first day of rains, with some injuries reported from collapsing walls and roofs. The incident follows a fragile ceasefire that took effect on October 10, 2025, after two years of war. The conflict has destroyed large areas of the territory, leaving most of the population displaced and living in makeshift shelters, while the Israeli army continues daily airstrikes and ground operations.