At least 21 people, including 11 children, have been killed after a war-damaged residential building collapsed in Gaza City, local authorities said.
The six-storey Al-Sa’ada building collapsed early Wednesday in the Al-Rimal neighbourhood, with dozens of people feared trapped under the rubble.
Dr Mohammed Abu Salmiya, director of Al-Shifa Hospital, told CNN that at least 21 people had died, while several others were injured.
Gaza’s Civil Defense agency said search and rescue operations were ongoing, with about 100 people reported missing.
The agency said the building, which had four apartments on each floor, was damaged by Israeli airstrikes at the beginning of the Gaza war following the October 7, 2023 attacks.
The collapse comes as many Palestinians continue to live in damaged buildings or temporary shelters after months of conflict.
The United Nations estimates that about 80 per cent of structures in Gaza have been damaged, with two-thirds destroyed.
The UN also said about 1.9 million Palestinians, representing roughly 90 per cent of Gaza’s population, have been displaced during the war, with many displaced several times.
Hamas accuses Israel of blocking rescue equipment
Hamas’ media office in Gaza said the building collapsed on dozens of displaced families who had sought shelter there because they had nowhere else to go.
It accused Israel of restricting the entry of heavy equipment and other rescue supplies needed to deal with building collapses.
Israel restricts the entry of what it describes as “dual-use goods” into Gaza, including heavy machinery, saying such equipment could be diverted by Hamas for military purposes.
Ramiz Alakbarov, the UN humanitarian coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, called for urgent approval for heavy machinery, engine oil and fuel to be brought into Gaza.
“No one should have to risk their life simply to find a safe place to shelter,” he said.
Thousands of buildings at risk
Gaza’s Ministry of Housing said about 3,000 buildings across the territory had been classified as dangerous or at risk of collapse.
It said previous Israeli strikes had caused structural damage and cracks in theo buildings, posing a threat to thousands of families.
Civil Defense spokesman Mahmoud Basal said residents were awakened by screams and the cries of children after the building collapsed around 3am.
He warned that other damaged buildings could also collapse in areas where displaced Palestinians are currently sheltering.
Little reconstruction has taken place in Gaza since a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas was reached last October.
The UN said in late August that the proportion of damaged buildings in the territory had continued to rise despite the ceasefire.
The situation remains fluid, with rescue teams continuing to search the rubble for survivors and victims.
CNN.
