Search and rescue operations continued in Gaza City on Wednesday following the collapse of a bombed-out building that killed at least 20 people, according to reports.
The incident has highlighted the precarious situation of displaced Palestinians across the Gaza Strip who have to shelter wherever they can, including in structures damaged during the war between Israel and Hamas fighters.
So far, Egypt has provided heavy machinery while the United Arab Emirates and Qatar are set to deliver relief items.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) also deployed available machinery and workers to support rescue efforts.
Mahmoud Basal, spokesperson for the Gaza Civil Defence, said that crews in the Gaza Strip are helping to recover victims from beneath the rubble of the collapsed building.
"But what is even more dangerous is that there are more than 2,000 buildings across the Gaza Strip in a similar condition, with people still living inside them," he said.
Basal added, "This scene could be repeated in other areas, resulting in further deaths and building collapses, particularly as we approach winter, when we repeatedly see buildings that are at risk of collapse give way".
Talal al-Harazin survived with his family when the building next to the tent in which they live collapsed.
He said, "At around three in the morning, the building suddenly collapsed. In less than 10 seconds, it completely came down. When it collapsed, the dust was so thick that we could not even see our fingers."
The UN Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Ramiz Alakbarov, said that today's tragedy underscores the grave risks faced by families living in these structures and the urgent need for safer alternatives, and no one should have to risk their lives simply by living in a shelter.
Ahead of the rainy season, aid teams are supporting people who choose to move from damaged buildings and flood-prone areas to safer sites.
Search, rescue continue after building collapse kills at least 20 in Gaza
