At least five Palestinians, including a woman and three children, were killed and five others injured after a steep sand cliff collapsed onto tents sheltering displaced families at Ard El-Rebat camp in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza, on Sunday evening.

Local sources said rescue teams initially recovered the body of a woman from beneath the collapsed sand before finding four more victims, including three children. Five injured people were pulled alive from the site, while search operations continued for others who may have been trapped.

The tragedy comes as displaced Palestinians across the Gaza Strip face increasingly harsh conditions amid heavy rainfall and a low-pressure weather system that has flooded tents and damaged makeshift shelters.

The deteriorating weather has intensified the suffering of families already struggling with inadequate accommodation, prompting renewed calls for urgent humanitarian intervention, safe shelter and winter supplies.

National and international institutions have warned that more than 2,000 damaged, cracked and structurally unsound buildings across Gaza are at risk of collapse, particularly amid continued rainfall and strong winds. The danger threatens Palestinians forced to live in damaged structures or seek shelter nearby.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warned on Saturday of the risks facing displaced families living in flood-prone areas and buildings weakened by heavy rainfall.

The agency also highlighted shortages in relief supplies and called for the immediate entry of winter assistance, alongside additional funding to support the humanitarian response.

With winter conditions worsening, displaced Palestinians continue to face mounting threats to their lives amid inadequate shelter and a shortage of essential humanitarian aid. (ILKHA)