Gaza building collapse kills at least 12, traps dozens

A residential building in Gaza City collapsed early Wednesday, killing at least 12 people, including five children, and trapping dozens more under the rubble, according to civil defense officials. The six-story structure, which had been previously damaged by Israeli strikes, housed more than 10 families of displaced Palestinians who had sought shelter there despite warnings of its instability. Rescue teams from the Gaza Civil Defence recovered the bodies of at least 12 people and rescued 14 injured individuals from the site on al-Sinaa Street in western Gaza City. Officials said nearly 100 more people were believed to be trapped beneath the debris, with rescue workers reporting they could still hear voices from under the rubble. The collapse occurred at approximately 3:10 a.m. local time while residents were sleeping. "Every victim we have pulled from beneath the rubble appears to have been sleeping on a mattress," said Abdullah al-Majdalawi, a Civil Defence spokesperson. "They were asleep when the building collapsed." Witnesses described the event as feeling like an earthquake.