Death Toll Rises To 20 After Gaza Building Collapse

At least 20 people, including five children, have been killed after a war-damaged six-storey building collapsed in Gaza City's Tal al-Hawa area, with 70 to 100 people believed to be trapped beneath the rubble. Rescue workers have struggled with shortages of heavy machinery, forcing some to search by hand, although equipment was later borrowed from UN agencies and Egyptian relief workers. The UN has warned that about 400 other damaged buildings across Gaza could be at imminent risk of collapse, while more than 80% of structures in the territory have been destroyed or damaged. The disaster comes amid continued Israeli strikes and a worsening humanitarian crisis affecting millions of displaced Palestinians.

BUILDING COLLAPSES IN TAL AL-HAWA

At least 20 people, including five children, have been killed after a war-damaged six-storey building collapsed in Gaza City's Tal al-Hawa area, with dozens of people still believed to be trapped beneath the rubble.
Rescue teams have been searching through the remains of the building for survivors and bodies, with local residents saying about 10 families had been living in the apartments despite warnings that the structure was unsafe.
The collapse has highlighted the growing danger faced by thousands of displaced Palestinians living in damaged buildings because of the shortage of safe shelter across the Gaza Strip.

70 TO 100 PEOPLE BELIEVED TRAPPED

The United Nations Development Programme's Gaza office said between 70 and 100 people were believed to be trapped under the collapsed building.
Alessandro Mrakic, head of the UNDP Gaza office, said rescuers were struggling because they lacked the heavy machinery and equipment required to reach people buried deep beneath the concrete.
He said some rescuers were forced to dig through the rubble with their bare hands.
Gaza Civil Defence director Raed al-Dahshan said rescuers were still hearing voices beneath the debris, raising hopes that some people could be found alive.

RESCUERS STRUGGLE WITHOUT HEAVY EQUIPMENT

The Hamas-run Civil Defence service initially carried out the rescue operation with very limited equipment.
Rescue workers said restrictions on equipment entering Gaza had made it difficult to bring in machinery needed for major search-and-rescue operations.
Some heavy machinery was later borrowed from UN agencies and Egyptian relief workers.
Mrakic said equipment already inside Gaza was also difficult to operate because rescuers lacked engine oil, spare parts and other supplies needed to keep machinery running.
UN humanitarian relief coordinator Ramiz Alakbarov called for heavy rescue equipment to be allowed into Gaza, along with tents, tarpaulins and other supplies needed to protect displaced people from the approaching winter rains.

HUNDREDS OF OTHER BUILDINGS AT RISK

The danger extends far beyond the collapsed building.
Mrakic warned that around 400 other war-damaged structures across Gaza could be at imminent risk of collapse.
Many buildings have been weakened by Israeli air strikes and other attacks during the war, leaving residents vulnerable even when there is no active bombardment.
The approaching winter season could make the situation more dangerous, with heavy rain potentially further weakening damaged structures.
The UN has therefore called for urgent support to identify dangerous buildings and provide safer shelter for people currently living in or around them.

MORE THAN 80 PER CENT OF STRUCTURES DAMAGED

According to the United Nations, more than 80 per cent of structures across Gaza have been destroyed or damaged during the war.
The destruction has severely reduced the availability of homes and other buildings that can safely accommodate displaced families.
More than 1.9 million people — around 90 per cent of Gaza's population — have been displaced, with many forced to move several times.
About 1.2 million people are currently living in tents or makeshift shelters, according to UN figures.
For families who have nowhere else to go, even buildings officially considered unsafe can become places of refuge.

HUMANITARIAN CONDITIONS REMAIN DIRE

The UN says Gaza's humanitarian situation remains extremely difficult despite a ceasefire agreed last October.
Israeli air strikes and other attacks have continued to hit populated areas, according to the UN humanitarian office, resulting in casualties, property damage and further displacement.
The lack of adequate shelter, reconstruction materials, medical supplies and heavy rescue equipment has made recovery particularly difficult.
The collapse in Tal al-Hawa demonstrates how the effects of the war continue even when people are not directly caught in an active attack.

FURTHER ISRAELI STRIKES REPORTED

The building collapse came amid reports of further deadly Israeli strikes elsewhere in Gaza.
Palestinian health officials and Hamas sources said Israeli air strikes on Tuesday killed at least five Palestinians, including two children and a Hamas commander.
The Israeli military said it had killed a Hamas commander in southern Gaza and another fighter in northern Gaza.
Palestinian sources reported that a child was also killed in each of the two incidents.
The claims about the individual strikes could not all be independently verified.

PATIENT REPORTEDLY KILLED AT HEALTH CENTRE

A separate incident was reported at a health facility in Jabalia, northern Gaza.
Medical Aid for Palestinians, a British charity operating in the territory, said a patient was killed by an Israeli drone at a health centre it supports.
An Israel Defence Forces spokesperson told the BBC that the military was not aware of the reported incident.
The allegation comes as medical facilities across Gaza continue to operate under severe pressure after years of damage, shortages and mass displacement.

HOW THE WAR BEGAN

The current Gaza war began after the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023.
About 1,200 people were killed in the attack and 251 others were taken hostage, according to Israeli figures.
Israel subsequently launched a large-scale military campaign in Gaza aimed at destroying Hamas and recovering the hostages.
The conflict has resulted in enormous destruction across the Gaza Strip and a major humanitarian crisis.
According to Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry, more than 73,790 people have been killed in Gaza since the war began. The UN has said figures from the ministry are considered reliable for humanitarian purposes, although the ministry does not distinguish in its headline death toll between civilians and combatants.

FAMILIES FACE ANOTHER DANGER

For the families who lived in the collapsed building, the immediate danger was not necessarily an air raid but the condition of the structure itself.
Years of bombardment have left large parts of Gaza's housing stock damaged or destroyed, while the shortage of alternative accommodation has forced many displaced people to remain in buildings that may no longer be structurally safe.
As rescuers continue searching the rubble in Tal al-Hawa, the incident has become another reminder that Gaza's humanitarian crisis extends beyond the immediate impact of military strikes.
The UN's warning that hundreds of other damaged buildings could collapse adds urgency to calls for heavy machinery, safer shelters and essential supplies before the arrival of harsher weather.