At Least 12 Dead After Gaza Building Collapse; Dozens Missing

At least 12 people, including children, have died after a war-damaged building collapsed in Gaza City, and dozens more are missing, local rescue teams reported. The multi-story building in the Tal al-Hawa area had its floors sandwiched together following the collapse.

Ten families were reportedly living in the apartments despite warnings that the structure was unsafe. Members of the Hamas-run Civil Defence rescue service stated they initially faced challenges in their search and rescue operations due to strict Israeli restrictions on equipment entering Gaza. However, they have since managed to borrow some heavy machinery to aid their efforts.

![Gaza Civil Defence first responders attempt to rescue people trapped beneath the rubble of a war-damaged residential building that collapsed in Gaza City (16 September 2026)]( "Gaza Civil Defence first responders attempt to rescue people trapped beneath the rubble of a war-damaged residential building that collapsed in Gaza City (16 September 2026))

Video footage shows rescue teams continuing to search for bodies and survivors amid the rubble. The incident follows recent Israeli airstrikes in Gaza. On Tuesday, health officials and Hamas sources reported that at least five Palestinians, including two children and a Hamas commander, were killed in these strikes. The Israeli military stated it killed a Hamas commander in southern Gaza and another fighter in the north, with a child reportedly killed in both instances. Separately, the British charity Medical Aid for Palestinians reported that a patient was killed by an Israeli drone at a health center it supports in Jabalia, northern Gaza.