Damaged Gaza City Building Collapses, Killing at Least 20

Overview

• A multi-storey building that had been hit by strikes and was sheltering displaced families gave way and killed at least 20 people, with witnesses saying the collapse also struck tents beside the structure.
• Rescuers reported hearing voices under the rubble and recovered children among the dead, while teams from Gaza civil defence, UN agencies and Egypt’s relief agency carry out manual searches.
• UNDP said people were digging by hand because appropriate excavators and protective gear were not available, a shortage Palestinian and UN officials attribute to Israeli limits on bringing heavy equipment into Gaza.
• Israeli officials say restrictions aim to stop materiel reaching militant groups; the dispute has left recovery slow and raised the risk that more victims will die unseen or that remains cannot be properly identified.
• The collapse underscores a wider crisis in Gaza where thousands of strike‑damaged buildings leave tens of thousands living in unstable shelters and raise urgent questions about safe housing, recovery resources and reconstruction.