GAZA, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- Five members of the same family, including three women and a child, were killed Sunday when their war-damaged house collapsed in Gaza City's Sheikh Radwan neighborhood, Palestinian sources said.
Earlier, rescue teams pulled five people, including a child and two women, from the rubble, but difficult conditions and limited equipment prevented the recovery of remaining victims, said Mahmoud Basal, spokesperson for Gaza's Civil Defense.
The Civil Defense urged residents to evacuate war-damaged buildings deemed "uninhabitable," noting that 22 homes have partially or completely collapsed since Dec. 10 amid severe winter weather, killing 18 people and leaving four missing. Since the ceasefire took effect on Oct. 10, a total of 46 buildings have collapsed in the Gaza Strip.
Authorities warned that winter conditions and lack of temporary housing are worsening the crisis. Hamas called on ceasefire mediators to pressure Israel to allow reconstruction and provide adequate shelter, citing the ongoing blockade and risk to residents living in dilapidated structures. ■
