Gaza: Five Palestinians killed as sand embankment collapses on displacement tents

A sand embankment collapsed on tents sheltering displaced Palestinians in the Gaza Strip late on Sunday, killing three children and two women as severe weather battered the territory.

At least five other people were rescued with injuries by Civil Defence search-and-rescue teams at the makeshift camp in Deir al-Balah, where operations to locate missing people continued.

Mahmoud Basal, spokesperson for the Palestinian Civil Defence in Gaza, said the massive sandy embankment and surrounding mounds of earth collapsed after a low-pressure weather system brought torrential rain and strong winds to the Strip over the weekend.

Two of those killed were identified as Mariam Nabhan and her son, Salah Nabhan. The other three were Reem al-Zain, Habiba al-Zain and Ibrahim al-Zain.