Gaza, on Wednesday morning, local officials announced that following the collapse of a residential building in the Tal al-Hawa area, 20 people, including five children, have lost their lives and dozens more are missing. This six-story building, which had four residential units on each floor, collapsed due to damage sustained from previous Israeli airstrikes.
Details of the Building Collapse
According to the spokesperson for the Civil Defense Agency, Mahmoud Basel, the building had previously been damaged by Israeli airstrikes, and warnings had been issued to residents to avoid entering the building. However, many families continue to live in damaged buildings due to a lack of shelter and difficult conditions.
Currently, rescue operations are ongoing using limited equipment, and rescue teams are facing many challenges. Workers with Egyptian flags are busy clearing debris and searching for the missing.
Human and Economic Consequences
A significant number of Gaza residents have become homeless due to the recent two-year conflict and heavy rainfall. According to statistics from the Gaza Ministry of Health, which operates under Hamas, more than 73,700 people have lost their lives in these conflicts. This statistic reflects a deeper humanitarian crisis that has arisen for the residents of Gaza.
Ramiz Akbarov, the UN humanitarian coordinator for the occupied Palestinian territories, expressed sorrow over the incident and highlighted the serious dangers of living in damaged buildings, stating that no one should risk their life to find a safe place to take shelter. The Gaza Civil Defense Agency has identified around 2,000 buildings in the area that are at risk of collapse.
The Gaza government has also pointed to delays in the reconstruction of the area and placed the responsibility for this tragedy on the Israeli occupation and the international community. Meanwhile, despite declaring a ceasefire, Israel continues its attacks and has restricted the entry of necessary equipment for reconstruction.
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