Displaced families in Gaza say they are sheltering in damaged buildings at risk of collapse because safer housing is unavailable or unaffordable. A September 16 building collapse in Gaza City killed 21 people, including 12 children, according to the UN and Gaza Civil Defence.
Masada Abu Jarad, 60, says the Palestinian Red Crescent and Civil Defence warned her last week to leave her partly collapsed building. Abdullah Abu Hajar says about 17 families—roughly 50 to 60 people—live in his severely damaged building; Islam Hassanein and her five children occupy one room in another damaged structure.
A joint UN, World Bank and EU assessment found 371,888 housing units—76.6% of Gaza’s housing stock—were destroyed or damaged as of October 2025, and estimated rebuilding would cost more than $71bn over the next decade. UNICEF estimates nearly 84% of Gaza’s population, more than 1.76 million people, live in overcrowded displacement sites or damaged, inadequate shelters. The article reports that Israeli restrictions on the entry of tents, tarpaulins and other essential shelter materials are worsening the shortage.
