16 September :At least 20 Palestinians, including five children, were killed when a residential building damaged during the war in Gaza collapsed, according to the Gaza Civil Defence Department. Around 100 more people are feared to be trapped beneath the rubble.
The six-storey building collapsed on Wednesday night, leaving at least 14 people injured, officials said. Rescue workers, assisted by local residents, are trying to clear the debris and reach those trapped inside. However, the lack of essential equipment has made the rescue operation extremely difficult.
Video footage showed rescuers pulling children from the wreckage, while local residents joined the effort by removing debris with their bare hands. One video also captured the rescue of a child who was found alive beneath the rubble.
Mahmoud Bassal, spokesperson for Gaza’s Civil Defence Department, said search operations were continuing for missing people trapped under the debris, while rescuers were also working to recover the bodies of those killed. He said the rescue effort was being hampered by a shortage of heavy equipment.
Local media reported that the building had previously been damaged in Israeli strikes, leaving cracks and weakening its structure. Thousands of buildings across Gaza have been damaged or partially destroyed during the war. Restrictions on the entry of construction materials and heavy rescue equipment have further complicated emergency operations.
Ramez Alakbarov, the United Nations humanitarian coordinator for the occupied Palestinian territory, expressed concern over the incident. He praised efforts by several countries, including Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, to send urgent humanitarian assistance.
“Lives can still be saved. Every minute matters now,” Alakbarov said.