War-Damaged Gaza Building Collapses, Killing 12 People Seeking Shelter Inside

On Wednesday, a damaged apartment building in Gaza City fell down while people were sleeping inside, killing at least 12 Palestinians, including five children. Rescue workers rushed to the scene to search through the wreckage for survivors. Nearly 100 more people were believed to be trapped under the collapsed building. The disaster shows how dangerous life remains for tens of thousands of people living in buildings already damaged by war.

The seven-story building had been weakened by Israeli airstrikes before it fell to the ground. Gaza's civil defense service said at least 10 families were living there when it collapsed. Fourteen other people were injured in the disaster. Rescue workers said they could still hear voices coming from under the rubble, giving them hope that more survivors could be found.

Raed Al-Dahshan, the director of Gaza City's civil defense service, spoke about the difficult search effort. He said crews were still working hard to reach anyone still alive beneath the wreckage. He also warned other Gaza residents to stay away from damaged buildings because they could fall at any time. He noted that about 2,000 damaged buildings across Gaza are currently home to families who have nowhere else to go.

A United Nations official named Alessandro Mrakic said rescue teams from several U.N. groups joined the effort to find survivors. He said the work was very hard because workers did not have the right equipment, and some had to dig with only their bare hands. He warned that about 400 more buildings in Gaza are at risk of collapsing, especially as cold winter weather approaches. Egypt's relief agency was also helping with the rescue efforts.

Palestinian and U.N. officials say Israel's restrictions on what can enter Gaza are the reason heavy machinery is not available. Israel says it limits certain equipment to keep it away from militant groups. Since the conflict began after Hamas attacked Israel in October 2023, the fighting has created about 61 million tons of wreckage. The United Nations estimates it could take seven years just to clear all of that rubble.

A ceasefire backed by the United States took effect in October 2025 and stopped large-scale fighting in Gaza. However, Israeli strikes have continued, and there has been little progress toward a lasting peace. More than 1,300 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have been killed in Gaza since the ceasefire began, according to health officials in the territory. Hamas and Israel continue to accuse each other of breaking the terms of the agreement.