Damaged Gaza City residential building collapses, killing at least 21 and trapping nearly 100

Collapse in Tal al-Hawa

A multi-storey residential building collapsed overnight into Wednesday, 16 September 2026, in the Tal al-Hawa neighbourhood of Gaza City. The structure, which civil defence officials reported had sustained repeated damage from Israeli airstrikes during 2024 and 2025, gave way while housing displaced families. Palestinian health and civil defence officials reported that at least 21 people were killed, including up to 11 children. Injury totals reported by local medical authorities ranged from 14 to 45 across initial emergency updates. Local residents indicated that more than 60 people had been staying inside the building at the time of the incident, while displaced individuals living in temporary tents adjacent to the site were also caught in the collapse.

Search and rescue efforts

Emergency personnel, supported by United Nations agencies and an Egyptian aid service, launched search operations amid extensive rubble. Raed al-Dahshan, head of the Palestinian Civil Defence in Gaza City, stated that at least ten displaced families had sought shelter in the compromised building due to the acute lack of safe housing.

We still hear voices under the rubble.

Mahmoud Basal, spokesperson for the Civil Defence, noted that approximately 100 people were believed to remain buried under the debris. Rescue operations encountered severe constraints due to an absence of heavy construction machinery and specialized excavation equipment. Alessandro Mrakic, head of the United Nations Development Programme in Gaza, stated that emergency crews and civilians were forced to dig through concrete with their bare hands. Palestinian and United Nations representatives attributed the equipment shortage to Israeli import controls on heavy machinery, while Israeli authorities maintained that the restrictions prevent equipment from being diverted to militant factions. The Israeli military stated that it was examining reports of the collapse, while denying that it had targeted the building during the war.

Structural hazards and debris

The disaster drew attention to widespread structural hazards confronting residents across the Gaza Strip. Alessandro Mrakic warned that approximately 400 additional buildings in the enclave face an imminent risk of structural failure, creating acute dangers ahead of the winter season. Civil defence authorities reported that tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians currently reside inside roughly 2,000 structures that suffered damage during earlier bombardments. United Nations estimates indicate that military operations since October 2023 have created approximately 61 million tonnes of rubble throughout the territory, an accumulation that could take seven years to clear.

Truce status and ongoing casualties

The collapse occurred under a ceasefire framework mediated by the United States in October 2025, which halted large-scale fighting while sporadic aerial strikes continued. Gaza health authorities reported that more than 1,300 Palestinians, predominantly civilians, have been killed since the truce took effect. Israeli military statements recorded four soldier fatalities over the same period. Hamas officials accused Israel of violating the ceasefire terms, while Israeli authorities maintained that recent strikes specifically targeted senior militant personnel.