Gaza Building Collapse Kills at Least 21, Including 11 Children

A Gaza building collapse killed at least 21 people in Gaza City early Wednesday, Sept. 16. The victims included 11 children and five women, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

At least 14 other people suffered injuries. Rescue crews finished searching the rubble Wednesday afternoon.

Gaza Building Collapse Strikes Displaced Families

About six displaced Palestinian families were sheltering inside the building when it collapsed. The structure had sustained damage from Israeli strikes earlier in the war.

Residents reportedly knew the building was unstable. However, Gaza Civil Defense officials said families had few other shelter options.

The collapse occurred while many residents were sleeping. Emergency workers and local residents searched the debris, sometimes using their bare hands because heavy equipment remained scarce.

Earlier reports placed the death toll between 12 and 20. Health Ministry spokesperson Zaher al-Wahidi later confirmed that at least 21 people had died.

Damaged Buildings Create Widespread Danger

Thousands of displaced families have moved into damaged buildings across Gaza. Many prefer the unstable structures to tents that offer limited protection from heat, wind and rain.

Gaza Civil Defense estimates that about 2,000 damaged buildings remain occupied. A United Nations official also warned that approximately 400 structures face an immediate risk of collapse, according to Reuters reporting.

The United Nations estimated in June that about 201,290 structures had sustained damage. That represented approximately 82% of all structures in the Gaza Strip. More than 134,000 were classified as destroyed, according to the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

Damaged concrete, weakened support columns and exposure to weather can increase the risk of sudden collapse. However, officials had not identified the immediate cause of Wednesday’s disaster.

Rescue Equipment and Shelter Remain Limited

Gaza rescue teams have only a small number of working excavators. Fuel shortages have further limited their ability to clear debris and recover victims.

The war has produced an estimated 61 million tons of debris, according to the United Nations. Clearing that material could take about seven years under current conditions.

Palestinian and U.N. officials have blamed Israeli restrictions for shortages of construction supplies and heavy machinery. Israel says restrictions aim to prevent militant groups from obtaining equipment that could have military uses.

Little reconstruction has occurred since an October 2025 ceasefire reduced large-scale fighting. Israel has said wider rebuilding cannot begin until Hamas disarms. Both Israel and Hamas have accused the other side of violating the agreement.

Conflict Continues Despite Ceasefire

The war began after the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Militants killed about 1,200 people and took 251 hostages.

Israel’s military campaign has killed more than 73,700 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials. The ministry does not separate civilians from combatants in its count. However, United Nations agencies generally consider its records reliable.

Wednesday’s collapse highlights the continuing risks facing displaced families even when they are away from active fighting. Without safer shelter, structural inspections and adequate rescue equipment, Gaza residents remain vulnerable inside buildings already weakened by war.