NEW YORK, 16th September, 2026 (WAM) -- Search and rescue operations continued in Gaza City on Wednesday following the collapse of a bombed-out building that killed at least 20 people, according to reports.
The incident has highlighted the precarious situation of displaced Palestinians across the Gaza Strip who shelter wherever they can, including in structures damaged during the war between Israel and Hamas fighters.
“I am devastated by reports of people trapped under the rubble,” the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Ramiz Alakbarov, said in a statement.
Roughly 100 people, including 50 children, were living in the building at the time, he added.
“Today’s tragedy underscores the grave risks faced by families living in these structures and the urgent need for safer alternatives,” he said. “No one should have to risk their life simply to find a safe place to shelter.”