Gaza building collapse kills 20 sheltering inside

Gaza rescuers on Wednesday searched through the wreckage of a bombed-out apartment building that collapsed overnight, killing at least 20 Palestinians including children and trapping dozens of others beneath the rubble.

Tens of thousands of Palestinians are living in some 2 000 buildings damaged by Israeli airstrikes across Gaza.

Rescue workers from Gaza’s civil defence said at least 20 people, including six children, were killed and 14 others injured when the seven-storey building collapsed.

Nearly 100 more people were believed to be under the rubble.

A video obtained by Reuters showed rescue workers trying to pull out two people from under a collapsed wall.

Another video on social media showed Gaza’s civil defence spokesperson Mahmoud Basal carrying a little girl, wrapped in a blood-stained scarf.

Raed Al-Dahshan, the director of Gaza City’s civil defence service, said at least 10 families lived in the collapsed building and there was still hope of finding survivors.

“We are still hearing voices from under the rubble,” said Dahshan.

Alessandro Mrakic, head of the UN Development Programme’s Gaza office, said some UN agencies were taking part in the rescue efforts, which he described as difficult due to the lack of proper machinery.

Egypt’s relief agency was also helping.

“The situation, as you see, is tragic because we don’t have the equipment and machinery that is needed.

So, there are actually people that are digging with their bare hands,” said Mrakic.

“There are approximately 400 buildings at risk of collapse.

And we know that these buildings will collapse, especially now with the upcoming winter,” he added, referring to the potential impact of rain.