At least 20 killed after war-damaged apartment building collapses in Gaza; rescuers search for survivors
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "At least 20 killed after war-damaged apartment building collapses in Gaza; rescuers search for survivors")
Rescuers excavate rubble to retrieve bodies from a collapsed building in the Tal al-Hawa area of Gaza City on September 16, 2026. Photograph: (AFP)
At least 20 people, including five children, were killed after a damaged six-storey building collapsed in Gaza City. Dozens remain missing as rescuers search the rubble for survivors.
At least 20 people, including five children, were killed and dozens of others were missing after an apartment building collapsed in Gaza from damage sustained in earlier Israeli strikes. The six-storey building, located in the al al-Hawa area of Gaza City, had four apartments on each floor. According to locals, some 10 families had been living in the building despite warnings that it was unsafe.
Gaza’s Civil Defence teams initially struggled to carry out rescue operations because Israeli restrictions severely limited the entry of heavy equipment into the enclave. Rescuers were forced to search through the rubble largely by hand.
The situation has improved somewhat, with the teams now able to use heavy machinery borrowed from UN agencies and Egyptian aid workers.
“We are still hearing voices from under the rubble, so there is still hope to find people,” said Raed al-Dahshan, director of Civil Defence in Gaza City.
“The limited availability of shelter options forced residents to move into this building, believing it was safe. However, at one point it collapsed entirely, tragically crashing down on people as they slept,” he added.
According to the head of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Gaza office, Alessandro Mrakic, about 70 to 100 people were believed to be trapped inside the rubble.
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“The situation, as you see, is tragic because we don't have the equipment and machinery that is needed. There are actually people digging with their bare hands,” he said.
Mrakic said that about 400 other war-damaged buildings were at imminent risk of collapse across Gaza.
“We need support, most importantly with machinery, equipment, among others. Our colleagues here don't have [engine] oil and spare parts to continue to work with all the equipment that is still in Gaza,” he added.
Gaza’s deepening crisis
According to the United Nations, an estimated 80 per cent of total structures in Gaza have been destroyed or damaged during the war. The conflict has also forced around 1.9 million people from their homes, representing nearly 90 per cent of Gaza’s population. The UN estimates that about 1.2 million displaced people are now sheltering in tents or other makeshift accommodation.
Despite a ceasefire reached last October, the humanitarian crisis remains severe. The UN says continued Israeli air strikes and other attacks in densely populated areas have resulted in further deaths and damage, while forcing more residents to flee their homes.
