Living in shadow of ruins: Gaza City residents face threat of collapsing structures damaged by Israeli attacks

Displaced Palestinian families in Gaza City are living under constant threat as heavily damaged structures risk collapsing amid ongoing military strikes, Anadolu reports.

Families living in tents near the damaged Shawa Husari Tower expressed mounting fear that surrounding buildings could crumble at any moment. Residents from the area designated as the “Yellow Line” said they remain trapped with no alternative safe shelter.

On Friday, five Palestinian children were injured after part of a residential building damaged by Israeli bombardment collapsed in the Sabra neighborhood of southern Gaza City, marking the second such incident in three days.

It was the second such incident in three days. On Wednesday, 21 Palestinians, including 12 children, were killed and others injured when the Al-Saada residential building collapsed in the Al-Sinaa area of western Gaza City, according to official figures.

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According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, the collapse of the Al-Saada building brought the number of people killed in collapses of buildings damaged during the Israeli war to 61.

Since the ceasefire took effect on Oct. 10, 2025, dozens of war-damaged buildings have collapsed on residents who had no alternative shelter amid a shortage of adequate tents and Israel’s prevention of prefabricated homes, or caravans, from entering the enclave.

Palestinian government bodies, as well as international and UN organizations, have repeatedly called for shelter materials to be allowed into Gaza to prevent further casualties from recurring building collapses, as well as tent flooding and cold-related deaths during winter, but without an Israeli response.

Since Oct. 8, 2023, Israel has killed more than 73,000 Palestinians and injured over 174,000 others in its genocide in Gaza, while destroying around 90% of the enclave’s infrastructure.

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