A building sheltering about 100 displaced Palestinian families collapsed in Gaza City on Wednesday, killing at least 20 people. Rescuers are searching the rubble for dozens believed trapped, including children.
A Gaza civil defence rescue team said they had recovered the bodies of five children and taken 25 injured people to hospital. Medical sources said rescuers could hear the voices of people trapped beneath the rubble as they tried to reach them.
The bombed-out multi-storey building, with four apartments on each floor, had been hit by Israeli strikes during the war, leaving its structure badly weakened and at risk of collapse. When it gave way on Wednesday, it fell onto tents beside it housing displaced families, witnesses said.
The collapse highlights the continuing danger facing tens of thousands of Palestinians living in an estimated 2,000 buildings damaged by Israeli airstrikes across Gaza.
Mohammed Abu Dan, a supervisor with the civil defence team recovering victims, said more than 10 families had been living in the building and displaced people had been forced to stay there because no other shelter was available.
“Search and rescue operations are being carried out under extremely difficult conditions due to a lack of the necessary equipment and resources,” Abu Dan said.
Palestinian and UN officials have blamed Israeli restrictions on Gaza for the lack of heavy machinery in the territory. Israel says its restrictions are intended to prevent equipment from reaching militant groups.
A video obtained by Reuters showed rescue workers trying to pull two people from beneath a collapsed wall. Another video circulating on social media showed Gaza’s civil defence spokesperson, Mahmoud Basal, carrying a young girl wrapped in a bloodstained scarf.
Raed al-Dahshan, the director of Gaza City’s civil defence service, said: “We are still hearing voices from under the rubble, so there is still hope to find people.”
Alessandro Mrakic, the head of the UN Development Programme’s Gaza office, said rescuers from UN agencies were taking part in the operation, which he described as extremely difficult because of the lack of appropriate machinery. Egypt’s relief agency was also involved.
“There are actually people that are digging with their bare hands. We need to prepare [for more deaths],” Mrakic said.
Tents belonging to displaced families had been erected along the road beside the building because there was nowhere else for them to shelter.
Similar incidents have occurred repeatedly over the past two years, with dozens of homes and buildings damaged during the war later collapsing, trapping people and causing further deaths and injuries.
With few other options, many Palestinians have returned to partly destroyed homes or moved into abandoned buildings, clearing small spaces among the rubble despite the danger. Soaring rents and the cost of vacant land have made finding safer accommodation increasingly difficult.
Hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians also remain unable to return to neighbourhoods near the so-called yellow line, forcing families to find whatever space they can elsewhere. In May, the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, ordered the military to seize 70% of Gaza.
Damaged roofs, walls and supporting columns can collapse without warning, particularly during strong winds, heavy rain or further bombardment. Asked whether they feared for themselves and their children, people living there said: “Yes, we are afraid, but where can we go? This is better than staying out onIsraeli strikes on Gaza have continued despite the ceasefire. According to Gaza’s health ministry, 1,369 Palestinians have been killed and 4,627 wounded since the fragile ceasefire took effect on 11 October 2025.
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Civil defence and municipal teams conduct search and rescue operations. Photograph: Saeed M M T Jaras/Anadolu/Getty Images
This year, an independent UN inquiry found that Israel had continued to commit genocide by deliberately targeting Palestinian children in Gaza.
Separately, a video from the Sheikh Radwan neighbourhood of Gaza City showed the aftermath of an Israeli drone strike that killed 15-year-old Mohammed al-Zinati and wounded several others. Al-Zinati had been trying to recover the body of a man killed in an earlier strike.
Israel’s defence minister, Israel Katz, said on Wednesday that it was only a matter of time before Israel resumed full-scale war in Gaza and moved to force out its Palestinian population.
Responding to criticism from another rightwing politician before the 27 October elections, Katz said 70% of Gaza’s population had already been displaced during Israel’s offensive, which was launched after the Hamas-led attacks of 7 October 2023 that killed more than 1,200 people — the deadliest attack against Israel, according to official Israeli figures.
He added that the Israel Defense Forces were prepared “to finish the job so that we can also implement the migration plan”.
Since the war began, at least 73,783 Palestinians have been killed and 174,738 wounded, according to the health ministry.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of frequently asked questions regarding the collapse of a building in Gaza City following an Israeli strike
1 What happened in Gaza City
A building in Gaza City collapsed after it was hit by an Israeli airstrike At least 20 people were killed in the incident
2 When did this strike take place
The strike and the subsequent collapse occurred recently though the exact date depends on the specific news report you are referring to
3 Where exactly in Gaza City did this happen
The strike hit a residential building in a specific neighborhood within Gaza City The exact location varies by report but it was in a populated urban area
4 How many people died
At least 20 people were confirmed dead The number may rise as rescue efforts continue
5 Who were the victims
The victims were civilians including men women and possibly children who were inside the building at the time of the strike
6 Why did the building collapse
The building collapsed because the structural damage from the Israeli strike was too severe for it to remain standing
7 Did Israel warn people before the strike
In many cases Israel says it issues warnings before strikes However it is unclear if a specific warning was given before this particular building was hit
8 What is an airstrike
An airstrike is an attack by military aircraft such as jets or drones that drops bombs or fires missiles at a target on the ground
9 Why did Israel strike this building
Israel usually says it targets buildings used by militant groups like Hamas It claims such buildings are used for military purposes though this is often disputed
10 Was this building a military target
Israel may claim it was a military target Palestinians and human rights groups often say such buildings are civilian homes and that the strikes violate international law
11 What is Gaza City
Gaza City is the largest city in the Gaza Strip a small densely populated Palestinian territory on the Mediterranean coast
12 Who controls Gaza
Gaza is controlled by Hamas a Palestinian militant and political group Israel and Egypt maintain a blockade on the territory
13 What is the Gaza Strip
The Gaza Strip is a narrow piece of land about 25 miles long and 5 miles wide It is home to over 2 million Palestinians
