A deadly building collapse exposes Gaza’s continuing shelter crisis, as displaced families remain trapped in damaged structures without safer alternatives.
Cairo
Rescue teams in Gaza wrapped up searches on Thursday after a bomb-damaged building collapsed, killing 21 people and leaving dozens injured. Forty-five people were pulled alive from the rubble, according to Palestinian officials.
The collapse has highlighted the dangers facing thousands of displaced Palestinians who continue to shelter in damaged buildings because safer accommodation remains unavailable. The seven-storey structure had housed more than 110 people before it collapsed.
Mahmoud Basal, spokesperson for Gaza’s Civil Defense Service, said eight children were among those killed and around half of the wounded were children. He said rescue teams lacked the heavy equipment needed for the operation but managed to save 45 people from beneath the debris.
At the site on Thursday, bulldozers cleared rubble as preparations began to establish tents for survivors. Residents also searched through the debris for personal belongings and food.
The collapse occurred nearly a year after a ceasefire halted major fighting, while large-scale reconstruction has yet to begin. Much of Gaza remains heavily damaged, with displaced families living in tents, overcrowded rooms and structurally unsafe buildings. UN officials have also warned that many people remain exposed to dangerous living conditions because of the lack of safe shelter.
Palestinian and UN officials have attributed shortages of heavy machinery and reconstruction materials to restrictions on their entry into Gaza. Israel says restrictions are intended to prevent equipment from reaching militants.
The United Nations has separately warned that large quantities of rubble remain across Gaza and that recovery efforts are constrained by limited access and equipment.
The latest collapse has renewed concerns over the safety of displaced families forced to live inside buildings damaged during the conflict.