▪The General Directorate of Civil Defense in the Gaza Strip reported that a six-story residential building collapsed in Gaza City, leaving dozens of people under the rubble, including children, women, and the elderly.

▪The General Directorate of Civil Defense in the Gaza Strip said the building was housing about one hundred people, and that Civil Defense teams, in cooperation with the Egyptian Committee, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and Gaza Municipality, managed to rescue 16 people initially, while 14 bodies, including 6 children, have been recovered so far, with missing persons still under the rubble.

▪These developments place an urgent humanitarian and legal responsibility on the international community and the guarantor states of the ceasefire, as the continued presence of those trapped under the rubble and the shortage of equipment pose a direct threat to the right to life and require immediate measures to reach and rescue them.

▪According to the statement, there are dozens of cracked buildings, and the approach of winter is worsening the risks amid large numbers of displaced people in fragile shelters. This requires urgent treatment of buildings at risk of collapse and the provision of the equipment and machinery needed to respond to collapse and rescue situations.

▪The message emphasizes that the protection of civilians is not limited to a ceasefire, but also includes ensuring continued protection, rescue, and relief when they are exposed to danger, and that the right to life requires practical measures to save people missing under the rubble, regardless of where they are located.

▪We call on the international community, the guarantor states of the ceasefire, and the relevant international and humanitarian bodies to work urgently to facilitate the entry of heavy rescue equipment and machinery, enable Civil Defense teams to carry out their duties without obstacles, provide technical and logistical support to address cracked buildings and collapse cases, and take the measures necessary to protect civilians and displaced people from risks during the winter.

▪Dealing with this disaster cannot be delayed, and priority must remain on rescuing those who can be rescued from under the rubble. Protecting civilians remains a responsibility that requires immediate practical measures to prevent further loss of life.