A multi-story apartment building in Gaza City collapsed early Wednesday, killing at least 20 people, including children, and trapping dozens more beneath the rubble, according to Gaza civil defence officials. The building, located in the Tal al-Hawa neighborhood, had been severely damaged in previous Israeli strikes during the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
The six- to seven-story structure housed roughly 100 displaced Palestinian families who took shelter there despite warnings about its instability. Gaza’s civil defence said the building had sustained damage in strikes dating back to 2024 and into 2025, which left it structurally unsound. Rescue teams worked through the rubble amid deteriorating conditions, sometimes digging with bare hands due to a lack of heavy machinery. Officials reported recovering the bodies of at least 11 children among the casualties and transporting dozens of injured individuals to nearby hospitals.
Raed al-Dahshan, director of Gaza City’s civil defence service, said rescuers could still hear voices from beneath the debris, raising hopes of finding survivors. Aid agencies and local rescuers emphasized the severe challenges posed by limited resources and restricted access to heavy equipment. Alessandro Mrakic, head of the UN Development Programme’s Gaza office, noted that rescue work was hindered by the scarcity of proper machinery and called for urgent international support. Egyptian relief teams also assisted in the search and rescue operations.
The collapse highlights a broader crisis facing Gaza’s population of approximately two million people, many living amid thousands of buildings damaged by repeated Israeli airstrikes. According to Gaza civil defence and UN assessments, around 2,000 buildings in the territory are at risk of collapse, with about 400 considered particularly vulnerable, a situation likely to worsen as winter approaches. Many Palestinians are forced to choose between living in unstable, damaged structures and residing in makeshift tent camps, with limited alternatives due to shortages of housing and construction materials.
Israeli authorities have restricted the entry of heavy machinery and building supplies into Gaza, citing security concerns over potential military use by Hamas. Since a U.S.-brokered ceasefire took effect in October 2025, large-scale fighting has decreased, but Israeli strikes have continued intermittently, resulting in additional casualties. Israel has also maintained tight control over reconstruction efforts, stating that rebuilding will depend on Hamas’s disarmament.
The ongoing conflict, which escalated following a Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023, has left vast portions of Gaza devastated. Gaza’s Health Ministry, which is run by Hamas, reports that over 73,000 Palestinians have died since the war’s onset, with women and children comprising about half of the fatalities. Meanwhile, Israel has reported over 1,200 civilian deaths from the initial Hamas attack and continued conflict.
Local residents and aid workers warn that the collapse is a tragic example of the dangerous conditions Palestinians endure amid the protracted conflict and stalled reconstruction efforts. Many displaced families live in precarious situations with little protection from the elements or further structural failures. UN officials and humanitarian organizations have called for increased access to Gaza for reconstruction materials and search-and-rescue equipment to prevent further loss of life.