Gaza City building collapse kills at least 20 and leaves dozens trapped

Collapse of the Al-Saada building

In the early hours of 16 September 2026, at approximately 02:00, a six-storey residential building collapsed in the Tal al-Hawa area of western Gaza City. Known locally as the Al-Saada building on Al Sinaa street, the structure had four residential units on each floor and had sustained severe damage from multiple Israeli bombardments during 2024 and 2025. Around one hundred displaced people, comprising at least ten families, resided inside the skeletal structure, covering windowless gaps with plastic sheets and cardboard. When the structure collapsed, concrete debris fell directly over the sleeping residents as well as adjacent family tents.

Civil defence officials reported that warnings had previously been delivered to residents regarding structural instability, exacerbated by nearby detonations, temperature fluctuations, and severe overcrowding. Raed Al-Dahshan, the director of Civil Defence in Gaza City, explained the rescue priorities on the morning of the collapse.

We continue to hear voices from under the rubble, so there is still hope of finding people.

Search and rescue operations

Emergency workers and hospital officials from Al Shifa reported at least 20 deaths, with fatalities including between five and eight children. Medical sources noted that between 14 and 15 people sustained injuries, while between 10 and 20 survivors were extracted alive from the debris. An estimated 60 to 100 people remained unaccounted for beneath the rubble as search efforts progressed throughout Wednesday.

Rescue teams faced severe resource deficits during initial operations, with personnel forced to dig through fallen slabs with their bare hands. Only three excavators were operational across the entire Gaza Strip due to restrictions on the entry of heavy equipment. Although the building collapsed around 02:00, mechanical excavators did not reach the scene until 08:30, after which emergency teams accessed additional machinery supplied by Egyptian workers and United Nations agencies.

International appeals for heavy machinery

United Nations officials called for an immediate clearance of essential emergency equipment into the territory. Ramiz Alakbarov, the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, noted that approximately 50 children lived in the collapsed structure and called for rapid logistical clearances.

I request the urgent approval of the entry of heavy machinery, specialized equipment, motor oil, and fuel necessary for search and rescue operations.

Alakbarov also requested deliveries of tents, tarpaulins, and non-food assistance for vulnerable populations over the next four weeks. International responses included machinery provided by Egypt, while Qatar and the United Arab Emirates prepared to dispatch humanitarian supplies to the enclave.

Structural risks across the enclave

Officials warn that hundreds of compromised buildings across the Gaza Strip face similar dangers. Alessandro Mrakic, head of the United Nations Development Programme office in Gaza, assessed the broader structural vulnerabilities in the enclave as winter approaches.

As you can see, the situation is tragic because we do not have the necessary equipment or machinery. In fact, there are people digging with their hands.

Civil Defence spokesperson Mahmud Basal noted that roughly 2,000 war-damaged buildings remain occupied by civilians across the Gaza Strip due to the absence of alternative shelter. United Nations Development Programme assessments indicate that roughly 400 damaged structures face imminent risk of complete collapse. Local authorities also noted that approximately 8,500 people remain missing under rubble across Gaza from bombardments throughout the conflict.