At Least 12 Killed in Gaza Building Collapse Amid Severe Rescue Shortages
At least 12 people died in a building collapse in Gaza City as rescue operations face severe equipment shortages amid ongoing military actions and humanitarian concerns.
At least 12 Palestinians, including five children, were killed overnight when a seven-story building collapsed in western Gaza City. According to civil defense authorities in Gaza, 14 people were injured, and an estimated 100 others remain trapped beneath the rubble. The building had been previously struck during the war and was being used to shelter displaced Palestinians.
According to Reuters, tens of thousands of Palestinians live in approximately 2,000 structures damaged by Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip. Alessandro Mrakic, head of the UN Development Programme (UNDP) office in Gaza, stated that rescue workers from various UN agencies are participating in the complex operations, hampered by a severe lack of appropriate equipment.
Humanitarian Crisis and Debris Removal
"The situation, as you can see, is tragic, because we do not have the necessary equipment and machinery. In fact, there are people digging with their bare hands," Mrakic said. "There are about 400 buildings at risk of collapse, and we know these buildings will collapse, especially now with winter approaching."
Palestinian and UN officials attribute the lack of heavy equipment in the Strip to Israeli restrictions, while Israel maintains these measures are designed to prevent equipment from reaching terror organizations. According to the UN, the war in Gaza since the October 7 massacres has left behind roughly 61 million tons of rubble and debris, the clearance of which could take up to seven years.
Military Operations and International Reactions
Meanwhile, the IDF continues its operations against senior Hamas operatives in the Strip, having eliminated the commander of the Rafah Brigade, Nail Abu Obaid. In a joint IDF and Shin Bet statement, authorities noted that Abu Obaid was a central figure responsible for managing the activities of the brigade's operatives and directing terror plots against IDF forces and Israeli citizens.
In parallel, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk called on Israel to allow international investigators access to the Gaza Strip to help gather evidence regarding suspected war crimes. Commenting on the humanitarian situation, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee rejected accusations of genocide, pointing to daily aid deliveries and growing population figures while emphasizing that Hamas has failed to disarm.
