Building collapse in Gaza kills 21 as Israeli strikes persist amid ceasefire

Gaza's civil defence agency reported that at least 21 people, including 12 children and five women, were killed when a six-storey apartment building collapsed overnight in the Tal al-Hawa area of Gaza City. The structure had sustained previous damage from Israeli airstrikes and had been sheltering more than 100 displaced people. Rescue workers spent hours digging through rubble, often by hand, and recovered at least one child alive whilst cries were reported from beneath the debris. Relatives later mourned over bodies at Al-Shifa Hospital. A survivor told AFP that Gaza's damaged buildings represent "ticking time bombs" for residents with no alternative shelter, whilst the United Nations confirmed that the vast majority of buildings across Gaza have been damaged or destroyed throughout the war.

The collapse occurred as Israeli forces continued conducting targeted strikes despite the ceasefire agreement. The military confirmed killing two Hamas operatives in separate strikes near Gaza City: a Nukhba Forces commander linked to the October 7 attacks and a naval unit company commander. Israel stated both men were rebuilding Hamas's military capabilities in violation of the truce. Days afterwards, further strikes killed at least three more Palestinians, including the eldest son of Gaza's Health Ministry director-general, with additional casualties reported in the Sheikh Radwan and Shuja'iyya neighbourhoods. These incidents underscore the ongoing toll the conflict continues to inflict on Gaza's civilian and medical communities.