Deadly building collapse in Gaza following previous Israeli strikes

On September 16, 2026, a six-story residential building in Gaza City collapsed, resulting in the deaths of at least 21 people, including 12 children. The building had been providing shelter to displaced families and had sustained critical structural damage from earlier Israeli airstrikes during the ongoing conflict. Palestinian Civil Defense teams worked for hours to recover bodies, noting that rescue efforts were hampered by a lack of heavy equipment and specialized machinery, which they claim is blocked from entering the territory.

Separately, on September 15, an Israeli raid in the occupied West Bank city of al-Bireh resulted in the death of 54-year-old Ziad Muhammad Jaber. Additionally, Israeli airstrikes in the Sheikh Radwan district of Gaza killed at least two Palestinians, including a child. Hamas officials blamed both the building collapse and the ongoing destruction on the Israeli military and the international community. According to Palestinian health authorities, the total death toll since the start of the conflict has now exceeded 73,000 people, while dozens remain missing following the collapse in Gaza City.