Gaza apartment block collapse kills 21, including 12 children

Gaza authorities reported that 12 children were among the 21 fatalities when an apartment building collapsed in Gaza City, resulting from damage sustained during Israeli strikes. The six-story building, with four apartments per floor, tumbled onto nearby homes and tents in the Tal al-Hawa area overnight. The majority of buildings in Gaza have been damaged or destroyed by Israeli strikes throughout the ongoing war with Hamas.

At Al-Shifa Hospital, grieving men carried children's bodies in white shrouds, while relatives mourned their loved ones. Ahmed Al-Ajla, whose relatives were killed in the collapse, decried the danger posed by buildings on the verge of collapse. The civil defense agency stated that the building housed over 100 displaced people who had been damaged by previous Israeli strikes.

The agency and health ministry both confirmed the toll, mentioning 12 children and five women among the victims. The building had been struck multiple times in recent years, prompting warnings for Gazans not to return due to the risk of further collapse. Despite the danger, residents had no choice but to live in damaged buildings with limited alternatives.

The UN's humanitarian coordinator expressed devastation over the tragedy, emphasizing the urgent need for safer living conditions.