GAZA, (Palestine Foundation Information Center), The Hamas Movement on Wednesday blamed Israel for the collapse of the Al-Saada residential building on residents and displaced families sheltering inside in Gaza City, warning that nearly 2,000 damaged and inhabited buildings across the Gaza Strip are at risk of collapse.
In a statement, Hamas said the collapse marked another catastrophic humanitarian consequence of the war, noting that widespread destruction of homes and residential neighborhoods has forced thousands of Palestinians to seek shelter in damaged and structurally unstable buildings.
The Movement warned that a severe shortage of heavy machinery and rescue equipment threatens further loss of life. It called for the immediate entry of heavy equipment and civil defence machinery to allow rescue crews to reach people trapped beneath the rubble.
Hamas cited the Gaza Civil Defense as saying that around 2,000 damaged buildings remain inhabited despite being at risk of collapse. It said the lack of safe shelter has left residents with little choice but to remain in dangerous structures, further compounding the humanitarian consequences of the widespread destruction.
The Movement called on mediators, the US administration and international actors to take immediate action to remove restrictions preventing the entry of rescue equipment and heavy machinery and to provide safe shelter for displaced Palestinians who have lost their homes.
Hamas said its leadership had previously raised the urgent humanitarian consequences of the war in discussions with mediators and international parties.
The Al-Saada building collapsed shortly after midnight in the Al-Sinaa area of western Gaza City. Since early Wednesday, Civil Defense crews have recovered the bodies of 20 Palestinians, including six children, while dozens of people remain missing beneath the rubble.
The collapse comes amid widespread destruction of residential buildings across Gaza, which has drastically reduced available shelter and forced displaced families to live in damaged structures despite the danger of collapse. Civil Defense crews also continue to face severe difficulties reaching destroyed buildings and removing rubble.
