Gaza Building Collapse Kills 21, Traps Dozens Amid Rescue Efforts

At least 21 people, including eight children, died after a war-damaged apartment building collapsed in Gaza City overnight into Wednesday, September 16, 2026.

The seven-storey Al Saada building, located in the Tal al-Hawa area, housed at least 10 families and was known to be unstable from previous Israeli strikes in 2024 and March 2025. Rescue workers from Gaza's civil defence service, led by director Raed Al-Dahshan, are searching for nearly 100 more people believed trapped under the rubble, with 12 individuals rescued alive.

Rescue efforts are hampered by a lack of heavy machinery, forcing some people to dig with their bare hands. UN agencies, Egypt's relief agency, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and the Gaza Municipality are assisting. Alessandro Mrakic, head of the UN Development Programme's Gaza office, states that approximately 400 buildings are at risk of collapse, especially with the upcoming winter.

Palestinian and UN officials attribute the lack of heavy machinery to Israeli restrictions on Gaza, while Israel states its curbs aim to keep equipment out of the hands of militant groups. Ramiz Alakbarov, UN humanitarian coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, called for urgent approvals for the entry of heavy machinery and specialized equipment. Aboud Majdalawi, a rescuer, noted that the lack of options left residents with no other choice but to live in the unstable building.