A six-story residential building in Gaza City’s Tal al-Hawa area collapsed overnight, resulting in at least 21 deaths, including eight children, according to rescue personnel and medical officials. The structure had been damaged by an Israeli military strike more than a year prior and was left in a precarious condition, tilting to one side. Displaced families had occupied the building despite its dangerous state due to lack of alternative shelter options.
Rescue operations proceeded slowly due to limited equipment availability. United Nations and Egyptian teams joined the search for survivors alongside the Hamas-run Civil Defence agency. Initial rescue efforts relied on manual methods using bare hands. By Wednesday afternoon, rescue personnel reported concluding the operation after transporting 45 injured individuals to medical facilities.
UN officials expressed concern about the broader humanitarian crisis. Alessandro Mrakic, head of the United Nations Development Programme Gaza office, stated that approximately 400 other war-damaged structures across Gaza face imminent collapse risk, particularly as winter weather approaches. He cited critical shortages of machinery, equipment, and spare parts necessary for rescue and recovery operations. UN humanitarian relief coordinator Ramiz Alakbarov called for Israeli authorities to permit delivery of heavy machinery for rescue operations and shelter materials including tents and tarpaulins for displaced populations.
Israeli authorities maintain that restrictions on equipment deliveries are intended to prevent materials from reaching Palestinian armed groups that could employ them for military purposes. According to UN assessments, approximately 80 percent of structures in Gaza have sustained destruction or damage during the ongoing conflict. The territory’s population, numbering roughly 1.9 million people, has experienced widespread displacement, with 1.2 million currently residing in tents or temporary shelters.
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