SOURCE :- SIASAT NEWS
Gaza City: The collapse of a residential building in Gaza City killed 21 people, including children, and injured 45 others, according to the Palestinian Civil Defence, as rescue teams searched for people trapped beneath the rubble on Wednesday, September 16.
The six-storey Al-Saada building, in the industrial area southwest of Gaza City, had been damaged by Israeli strikes earlier in the war. It collapsed while residents and displaced families were sleeping, with debris also falling on nearby tents, according to Palestinian media reports.
Gaza Civil Defence spokesperson Mahmoud Basal said rescuers could still hear voices beneath the rubble. He said more than 50 children were believed to be trapped inside, while dozens of others were reported missing.
The Al-Shifa Medical Complex received people killed and injured in the collapse as rescue teams continued working at the site.
Rescue teams struggle to reach survivors
Civil Defence crews, municipal workers and volunteers joined the search, but operations were hampered by a severe shortage of heavy machinery, fuel, spare parts and specialised rescue equipment.
Videos from the scene showed rescuers and residents digging through the debris and attempting to reach people beneath the collapsed structure. Another video circulating on social media showed Basal carrying an injured young girl from the site.
Alessandro Marrach, director of the United Nations Development Programme in Gaza, said UN and OCHA relief teams were racing against time to assist those trapped beneath the rubble.
Marrach said UN assessments had identified about 400 buildings at immediate risk of collapse. He called for urgent measures to provide housing, logistical supplies and safe shelters before winter, warning that rain could increase the risks.
Thousands of buildings remain at risk
Gaza Civil Defence estimates that around 2,000 buildings across the territory are at risk of collapse. Basal warned that many damaged structures remain occupied and could pose a further danger to civilians.
Separately, Gaza’s Ministry of Public Works and Housing said about 3,000 buildings had been classified as dangerous and dilapidated, putting thousands of families at risk.
The ministry called on the United Nations and international community to facilitate the opening of crossings and allow heavy machinery, building materials and rescue equipment into Gaza.
It said restrictions on dealing with structurally damaged buildings were exacerbating the risks faced by residents.
More than 8,500 people remain missing
Gaza’s Government Media Office said the fate of dozens of women and children remained unknown following Wednesday’s collapse. It also said more than 8,500 people remained missing beneath rubble from buildings across the territory.
The office called for the immediate entry of civil defence and rescue teams, as well as medical supplies and humanitarian aid. It urged international bodies to intervene and called for the opening of crossings.
Hospitals face severe fuel shortages
Gaza’s Health Ministry said about 70 per cent of hospital electricity generators had gone out of service because of shortages of fuel, oil and spare parts.
Zaher Al-Wahidi, director of the ministry’s Health Information Centre, said the shortage threatened to shut down critical and life-saving hospital departments. He also rejected Israeli claims that medical aid and logistical supplies were being facilitated into Gaza.
UN raises concerns over recovered bodies
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said on Tuesday that the recovery of hundreds of bodies from beneath buildings destroyed during the war had raised renewed concerns that war crimes may have been committed.
Turk said remains believed to belong to entire families, including women and children, were being recovered from sites destroyed during Israeli attacks.
The United Nations estimates that the war has generated about 61 million tonnes of rubble and debris, creating a major challenge for clearance and reconstruction. Tens of thousands of Palestinians are estimated to be living in damaged buildings across Gaza.
Gaza death toll exceeds 73,000
More than 73,000 Palestinians have been killed and over 174,000 injured in Gaza since the war began in October 2023, according to the territory’s Health Ministry.
More than 1,300 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the ceasefire took effect on October 10, 2025, according to Palestinian health officials. The Israeli military says four Israeli soldiers have been killed during the same period. Israel and Hamas have accused each other of violating the ceasefire agreement.
The Palestinian government called for the immediate and unhindered entry of Palestinian and international Civil Defence and rescue teams, together with heavy machinery and specialised equipment, to recover bodies and reach those still trapped beneath collapsed buildings.
With inputs from Agencies
SOURCE : SIASAT
