What happened
A war-damaged building in Gaza City has collapsed, resulting in the deaths of at least 20 people, mostly women and children. The building, which was housing six displaced families, was heavily damaged during the Israel-Hamas war. Local health officials reported that eight children and six women were among the dead, with at least 15 others injured.
The building had been partially destroyed in an Israeli strike early in the war and had been deemed unsafe. Despite warnings, displaced families had taken shelter inside. The cause of the collapse is not yet clear, but it is believed that the structural damage from the war, combined with winter weather, may have contributed to the disaster.
The collapse has highlighted the major hazard of building collapses in Gaza, where many structures have been damaged or destroyed during the almost three years of war. Displaced families often return to homes that have been damaged by bombardment, putting them at risk of injury or death from collapsing buildings.
The incident occurred despite a fragile U.S.-brokered ceasefire that has been in place since October last year. However, violence has continued in the region, with Israel carrying out strikes in Gaza, including some that killed several people earlier this week.
