Gaza siblings survive building collapse, mother and brother killed, family left traumatized

After their original home was destroyed, the Azzam family set up a tent in Gaza City and later moved into the six-storey Saada building to avoid flooding, despite its visible damage. In the pre-dawn hours the building collapsed, killing pregnant mother Islam Azzam and three-year-old son Rizq, and trapping the rest of the family for several hours. Civil Defence workers eventually rescued seven-year-old Abdulrahman, who suffered arm and leg injuries, and nine-year-old sister Ferial, who sustained a head wound.

Both children now endure severe psychological distress, with Abdulrahman repeatedly acting as if protecting his mother. Their father, Iyad Azzam, describes the ongoing fear of unstable structures, noting that the Civil Defence has identified thousands of buildings at risk and that Israeli restrictions limit the use of heavy machinery needed for demolition, heightening danger as winter approaches.