Gaza authorities on Monday condemned global "indifference and inaction" after a mudslide killed five displaced people sheltering in tents in the central Gaza Strip following heavy rains.

The Gaza Government Media Office stated that the incident "should shame the conscience of humanity and reflects the extent of the complicity and abandonment" faced by the Palestinian people.

The victims, four children and a woman, were killed when a sandbank collapsed onto their tent in Deir el-Balah on Sunday. Two individuals remain missing. The landslide occurred after heavy rains, associated with the year's first winter storm, hit the besieged territory on Friday, causing widespread flooding.

Floodwaters have inundated displacement camps and weakened structures already damaged by Israeli air raids. Reports indicate that restrictions imposed by the Israeli military have led to a shortage of specialized search and rescue equipment, forcing residents to attempt rescues with bare hands.

Al Jazeera correspondent Tareq Abu Azzoum reported from Deir el-Balah that the victims were living in "flimsy tents, on exposed ground, with no protection from the heavy rain." He added that the collapse left them "no chance to escape or protect themselves," highlighting the dire conditions faced by those displaced.

Save the Children reported that approximately 70,000 tents were flooded during the weekend storm. The organization also stated that over half a million children are living in "critical or catastrophic" shelter conditions. The group noted that despite a ceasefire agreement that stipulated the entry of caravans as a more durable alternative to tents, Israeli authorities have repeatedly prevented their entry into Gaza.

The Gaza Government Media Office held Israel, the United States, and the international community "fully and directly responsible." The office cited their "absolute silence regarding the occupation's crimes and their complicity in preventing the entry of shelter supplies, construction materials, caravans, fuel, and spare parts required to operate municipal and Civil Defence machinery and equipment."

This incident underscores the ongoing humanitarian challenges in Gaza, particularly for those displaced, who face extreme vulnerability to weather conditions and a lack of essential resources due to import restrictions.