Residential building collapses in Gaza City: at least 12 dead
A war-damaged seven-story residential building collapsed in Gaza City, Palestine. According to rescuers, at least 12 Palestinians were killed, including five children, while another 14 people were injured. Nearly 100 people may have remained trapped under the rubble, Cyprus Mail reports.
Search under the rubble
The building collapsed overnight. Gaza City Civil Defense Director Raed al-Dahshan said that at least ten families lived there. According to him, rescuers continued to hear voices from beneath the debris and therefore hoped to find survivors.
Civil defense workers, representatives of some UN institutions, and Egypt's aid agency joined the search operation. Alessandro Mrakic, head of the UN Development Programme office in Gaza, said rescue work was complicated by a lack of proper machinery and equipment, forcing people to clear the rubble by hand.
Risk of further collapses
According to the local rescue service, families are living in around 2,000 damaged buildings in the Gaza Strip. Mrakic noted that about 400 structures could collapse, especially as winter approaches.
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Palestinian officials and UN representatives link the lack of heavy machinery in the Gaza Strip to Israeli restrictions. Israel says the restrictions are intended to prevent equipment from falling into the hands of militant groups.
According to a UN estimate, Israel's offensive in Gaza, launched after Hamas's attack on Israel in October 2023, has produced around 61 million tonnes of rubble and waste. The UN believes it could take seven years to clear it.
In October 2025, a US-backed ceasefire halted large-scale hostilities, but Israeli strikes continued. Hamas accuses Israel of violating the agreements, while Israel says Hamas has committed violations.
