Sourced fact
The News
Palestinian authorities are criticizing global silence and the lack of immediate action following landslides caused by heavy rains that killed five displaced persons seeking refuge in tents in a central area of the Gaza Strip. The Gaza government media agency stated that this scene shames humanity's conscience and reflects the extent of international community involvement in neglecting our people.
A sandbank collapsed onto a tent in Deir Balah on Sunday, killing four children and one woman and leaving two others missing, while the first winter storm to hit the region on Friday caused widespread flooding that submerged displacement camps. Al Jazeera correspondent Tareq Abu al-Aziz reported that the victims were living in fragile tents on exposed ground with no protection from heavy rains.
The government source clarified that Israeli military restrictions led to a scarcity of specialized search and rescue equipment, forcing residents to dig into the earth by hand to reach survivors. Save the Children also stated in a statement that despite the supposed ceasefire in effect for over a year, which stipulates convoys entering as a permanent alternative to tents, Israeli authorities repeatedly prevent their entry.
The agency highlighted that Israel, the United States, and the international community bear full responsibility for this disaster due to their absolute silence regarding occupation crimes and their prevention of the entry of construction materials, fuel, and spare parts needed for civil defense mechanisms. The agency also condemned the absence of the Peace Council and the National Committee for managing Gaza, considering their failure to act a blatant violation of the responsibilities entrusted to them in the face of Palestinian suffering.
Data indicates that approximately 70,000 tents were flooded during the storm that hit Gaza last week, while more than half a million children live in "critical or catastrophic" housing conditions. The total death toll since the start of the Israeli war on October 7, 2023, reached nearly 74,600 people, plus over 1,600 Palestinians killed after the ceasefire took effect in October 2025.
Analysis & context
Analysis & Context
Analytically, this incident highlights the tragic contradiction between the urgent need for safe shelter and the harsh reality imposed by Israeli restrictions that block essential aid such as permanent tents and construction materials. Although previous ceasefire agreements stipulated the entry of relief convoys, the continuation of the siege prevents the implementation of these provisions, leaving hundreds of thousands of children, women, and men exposed to the risk of natural disasters.
In a broader context, Save the Children data indicates that more than half a million children live in catastrophic living conditions, underscoring the scale of the humanitarian crisis exacerbated by this year's first winter storm. These figures confirm the failure of international and local mechanisms to provide adequate protection for Gaza's residents, who suffer from infrastructure destruction due to air raids and repeated landslides.
The government agency's statement also reveals deep skepticism about the role of the Peace Council and the National Committee for managing Gaza, accusing them of abandoning their responsibilities in the face of Palestinian suffering. These criticisms are part of increasing tensions between Gaza's authorities and the international community, which is accused of inertia in the face of recurring disasters striking the Strip.
Finally, this event sheds light on the dire humanitarian situation since the start of the war on October 7, 2023, when more than 74,000 people have been killed so far. With fighting continuing after the so-called "ceasefire" in October 2025, the number of Palestinian casualties has risen to over 1,600, making any natural disaster such as landslides or floods an additional nightmare for residents living under harsh and impossible conditions.
