At least 21 people, including six children, were killed when a war-damaged building collapsed in the Gaza Strip early Wednesday, according to information reported by DW. At least 14 others were injured, and dozens were believed to remain trapped under the rubble as rescue efforts continued.
Rescue workers searched the wreckage with limited heavy machinery, in some cases using their bare hands. Raed Al-Dahshan, director of Gaza City's civil defense service, said voices could still be heard beneath the debris and that at least 10 families had lived in the building. He said rescuers hoped to find more survivors.
Residents described the consequences of the collapse for families already without secure housing. Mohannad Al-Mashharawi told AFP, as cited in the report, that a friend and neighbors lived in the building and that the friend had no shelter or home. The death toll was expected to rise while the search continued.
Alessandro Mrakic, who heads the UN Development Program's Gaza office, said the lack of equipment was making the operation especially difficult. He also warned that approaching wetter weather could further weaken damaged structures, saying approximately 400 buildings were at risk of collapse.
Authorities cited by DW said about 2,000 damaged buildings remained occupied by Palestinian families. Many families have told Reuters that they continue living in such structures because they lack sufficient tents and have few alternatives for protection from wind and rain.
Ramiz Alakbarov, the UN humanitarian coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, said the collapse highlighted the risks facing families in damaged buildings and the need for safer shelter. Palestinian and UN officials attributed the shortage of heavy machinery to Israeli restrictions. Israel says it seeks to prevent such equipment from reaching Hamas, which it says used similar machinery during its October 2023 attack on Israel.