At least 20 people, including five children, have been killed after a war-damaged residential building collapsed in Gaza City, according to rescue teams.
Dozens more are believed to be missing as rescuers search the rubble of the six-storey building in the Tal al-Hawa area. Local residents said about 10 families had been living in the building despite warnings that it was unsafe. The structure reportedly collapsed while residents were sleeping.
Raed al-Dahshan, director of the Hamas-run Civil Defence service in Gaza City, said rescuers could still hear voices beneath the rubble. He said limited shelter options had forced displaced residents to move into the damaged building despite the risks.
Rescue teams initially worked with their bare hands because of restrictions on equipment entering Gaza. They later obtained some heavy machinery from UN agencies and Egyptian relief workers.
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Alessandro Mrakic, head of the UN Development Programme’s Gaza office, said between 70 and 100 people were believed to be trapped beneath the rubble. He said the rescue effort remained severely hampered by a lack of machinery, fuel, oil and spare parts.
UN officials have also warned that about 400 other war-damaged buildings across Gaza could be at imminent risk of collapse, particularly as winter rains approach.
The UN estimates that about 80% of structures across Gaza have been destroyed or damaged during the war. More than 1.9 million people, around 90% of the territory’s population, have been displaced, with about 1.2 million currently living in tents or makeshift shelters.
