Tragic Building Collapse in Gaza Claims 21 Lives
Devastating Incident in Gaza
A file image of the aftermath following a residential building collapsed in Gaza, Israel
(Photo: @helpAnimalXxx/X)
Gaza, Sep 17: The tragic collapse of a residential structure in western Gaza City has resulted in the deaths of 21 individuals, including 11 children and six women, with over 25 others injured, as reported by local officials and residents.
The six-story Al-Saada building, which had previously suffered damage from Israeli airstrikes, fell in the early hours of Wednesday near the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) headquarters, according to civil defense spokesperson Mahmoud Basal.
Residents indicated that the building was home to approximately 100 displaced individuals.
During a 16-hour rescue operation, Basal reported that teams managed to save 45 people and recover 21 bodies.
Additionally, 35 individuals were able to escape the wreckage, he noted.
Outside the collapsed structure, numerous grieving relatives gathered, with some digging through the debris with their bare hands, as per reports from a news agency.
Louay al-Ajla, 54, expressed his grief, having lost nearly 10 family members in the disaster. "I received the news at dawn. It was devastating," he shared.
Palestinian authorities have accused Israel of hindering the entry of heavy machinery and equipment necessary for rescue operations.
The media office run by Hamas in Gaza stated that over 8,500 individuals are still unaccounted for, trapped under rubble throughout the Gaza Strip, citing challenges in accessing heavy machinery and rescue tools, and referred to thousands of damaged buildings as "ticking time bombs."
Basal further warned that more than 2,000 residential buildings are at risk of collapsing as winter approaches, urging the so-called "Board of Peace" and countries that guarantee ceasefire to allow the entry of necessary equipment, cautioning against potential "imminent disasters."
This incident occurred amidst ongoing ceasefire violations, with no advancements in negotiations between Hamas and Israel, despite a ceasefire agreement that was established in October 2025.