‘Nowhere to go’: Gaza’s damaged buildings turn deadly
A war-damaged building collapses in Gaza City, killing at least 21 Palestinians and exposing fears of unsafe ruins.
Gaza City, Gaza Strip – Leaning heavily on the arm of a relative, Hayat al-Ajlah moves slowly between the hospital beds, scanning the faces of the injured.
Hayat has not seen her since they were pulled from beneath the rubble of the al-Saada building in western Gaza City early on Wednesday, when the war-damaged structure collapsed over their heads.
“I woke up to check my phone,” the 37-year-old Hayat said. “Suddenly, I heard a sound like something cracking. It felt like something was falling from underneath us.”
At Gaza City’s al-Shifa Hospital, relatives of the victims have gathered in grief and shock, waiting for the lengthy recovery operation to continue and for news of those still missing.