Gaza Herald – Around 100 Palestinians remain missing beneath the rubble after the six-story Saeeda residential building collapsed in Gaza City early Wednesday, according to Gaza Civil Defense.
The building, which contained 24 apartments, collapsed at around 3 a.m. while dozens of displaced families sheltering inside were asleep. Civil Defense said families had taken refuge in the damaged building because of the severe shortage of safe housing across the Gaza Strip.
Rescue crews recovered nine bodies from the rubble on Wednesday morning, including women and children, according to Civil Defense. Recovery operations were carried out in coordination with local and international organizations operating in Gaza.
Civil Defense issued an urgent appeal for international intervention to secure the entry of heavy rescue equipment, including excavators and bulldozers, warning that the lack of machinery is severely hampering efforts to reach people trapped beneath the rubble.
The agency also warned that around 2,000 damaged residential buildings across Gaza remain inhabited by Palestinians and displaced families because they have nowhere else to go, placing thousands at risk of similar collapses.
With winter approaching, Civil Defense warned that damaged buildings could become even more dangerous and called for the immediate entry of rescue machinery and equipment needed to prevent further loss of life.
The collapse highlights another deadly consequence of Gaza’s widespread destruction: families who survived Israeli attacks are being forced to shelter in structurally damaged buildings because safe housing alternatives remain scarce.
This report was produced in the Gaza Herald newsroom.
