Building Collapse in Gaza City Kills 21 People

A six-storey apartment building in the Tal al-Hawa area of Gaza City collapsed shortly after 3 a.m. on September 17, 2026, killing 21 people, including eight children. The structure had been previously weakened by Israeli strikes in 2024 and March 2025 and housed more than 110 displaced people from at least 10 families who lacked alternative shelter.

Rescue operations involving the Gaza Civil Defence, UN agencies, and an Egyptian relief team saved 45 people from the wreckage. Efforts were severely hampered by a shortage of heavy machinery, forcing some workers to dig through rubble with their bare hands. While initial reports from Al-Shifa Hospital cited 12 fatalities, the death toll rose to 21 as recovery efforts continued.

UN officials and Gaza authorities warn that this event is part of a broader crisis, with approximately 2,000 structurally compromised buildings across Gaza and 400 at risk in the Tal al-Hawa area alone. The Cabinet of Israel has restricted the entry of heavy machinery and rebuilding materials, stating it will not allow reconstruction until Hamas disarms and to prevent militants from obtaining machinery. The International Committee of the Red Cross provided materials to assist local search and rescue teams during the operation.