War-damaged Gaza building housing displaced Palestinian families collapses, killing at least 20 people

Updated on: September 16, 2026 / 6:36 AM EDT / CBS/AP

A building housing displaced Palestinian families collapsed in Gaza City on Wednesday, killing at least 20 people, most of them women and children, according to local health officials. The multistory structure was heavily damaged during the Israel-Hamas war and there had been warnings about its safety.

The building was housing about six displaced families when it collapsed on Wednesday morning. At least 15 others were injured, and the 20 dead included eight children and six women, according to the Gaza Civil Defense rescue agency. The toll was expected to rise as more bodies were recovered from the debris.

Video showed civil defense crews surveying the wreckage and using bulldozers to dig people out, including children.

The building had been partially destroyed in an Israeli strike early in the war between Israel and Hamas. It was not immediately clear what caused the collapse, but in Gaza — where the majority of buildings have been damaged or destroyed — dozens of bombed-out, multistory structures have collapsed throughout the war, particularly during winter weather.

Building collapses have become a major hazard in Gaza. Displaced families have often returned from tent camps to…

Original source: https://www.cbsnews.com/entertainment/