Up to 100 people unaccounted for after Gaza City building collapse

Up to 100 people are still missing after a building collapsed in Gaza City, and emergency responders are still searching through the rubble for survivors and victims, according to authorities.

Rescue crews were on the scene searching for people believed to be trapped under the debris. The destruction is so extensive, and there is such a lack of heavy equipment to clear away fallen buildings, that the search has been made difficult.

The Gaza Civil Defence said earlier that more than 50 children were believed to be under the rubble of the collapsed building and that its teams were continuing efforts to recover victims.

The Civil Defence spokesperson told Al Jazeera that the Israeli authorities were refusing to allow heavy equipment into the Gaza Strip, making rescue operations more difficult.

The spokesman also warned of more collapses, saying the territory has a large number of dilapidated buildings.

“We fear a repeat of today’s scene given the large number of dilapidated buildings,” the spokesperson said, according to Al Jazeera.

As rescue teams can get into the site and authorities determine the status of people who were in the building, the number of people unaccounted for may change.