Gaza Building Collapse Leaves 14 Dead as Displaced Families Face Ongoing Structural Hazards
A war-damaged building in Gaza City collapsed, killing 14 people, mostly women and children. Explore the ongoing risks for displaced families in the region.
POLICY WIRE — Gaza City, Gaza — A residential structure sheltering displaced Palestinian families crumbled in Gaza City on Wednesday, resulting in the deaths of at least 14 individuals, the majority of whom were women and children.
According to Gaza Health Ministry spokesperson Zaher al-Wahidi, the collapse left at least 15 others injured. Officials anticipate the death toll may climb as rescue teams continue to extract victims from the rubble.
The multistory building had sustained significant damage during the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. Despite prior safety warnings, the site was providing shelter to approximately six displaced families at the time of the incident.
Footage from the scene captured civil defense personnel utilizing bulldozers to sift through the wreckage in search of survivors. The structure had been partially compromised by an Israeli airstrike earlier in the war, a common occurrence in a territory where most buildings have suffered some level of destruction.
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While a U.S.-brokered ceasefire has been in effect since October of last year, sporadic Israeli strikes continue, including recent operations on Monday and Tuesday. These incidents persist despite diplomatic efforts, including a visit last month by Jared Kushner to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Kushner recently attributed the stalled rehabilitation of Gaza to the upcoming Israeli elections in late October. Regarding the political climate, Kushner stated, We’re working through some political issues in Israel. I think we agree with them on the end state. They just have a crazy election, and that makes them a little irrational in certain regards.
The conflict, which began with a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel in 2023 that resulted in 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages, has seen the death toll among Palestinians rise to over 73,264, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. As displaced families frequently return to damaged homes from tent camps, structural collapses have emerged as a persistent and deadly threat.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
