GAZA CITY: At least 12 people, including children, have died and more than 100 remain missing after a six-storey apartment building collapsed in Gaza City, according to authorities in the enclave.
The building collapsed overnight in the Tal al-Hawa area after sustaining damage from earlier Israeli strikes, Gaza’s civil defence agency said. The agency said the structure fell onto nearby homes and tents.
Civil defence spokesman Mahmoud Basal said at least 12 bodies had been recovered, including five children, while rescue efforts continued for those still trapped beneath the rubble.
Rescue Efforts Continue
Basal said the building had been struck multiple times in 2024 and March 2025, with warnings previously issued against returning to the damaged structure.
He said many residents had moved back into damaged buildings because of a lack of available housing and tents, despite the risks posed by unstable structures.
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The United Nations has said that a large majority of buildings in Gaza have been damaged or destroyed during the conflict.
Growing Housing Crisis
With thousands of people displaced and limited access to construction materials, some residents have been forced to shelter in damaged buildings.
Gaza’s civil defence agency said it had identified around 2,000 buildings across the territory that could be at risk of collapse.
