The fire broke out on the third floor of a three-story building in the crowded Jabaliya camp, according to the Palestinian terror group Hamas, which rules the Strip. No one in the house survived. Palestinian reports said the vast majority of the deaths were from a single family – called Abu Raya – who had gathered to celebrate the return of a family member from abroad. The Civil Defense in Gaza, which is run by Hamas, attributed the fire to gasoline stored in the building. It was not immediately clear how the petrol ignited, although initial reports suggested it may have leaked and caught fire when revelers lit candles. Officials said an investigation is underway. Get The Times of Israel Daily Edition by email and never miss our top stories By signing up, you agree to the terms Flames could be seen shooting from the windows of the burning floor as hundreds of people gathered outside in the street, waiting for fire engines and ambulances. A spokesman for the Gaza Civil Defense Corps said the fire was put out after about an hour. “The investigation team is still investigating the cause of the fire and the final number of victims,” he said. #Palestine ✌????????Gaza is always bleeding.. So far, 21 people have died in a house fire in Gaza, and the number is rising.. The plight of Gaza ??????? ??? pic.twitter.com/n17E81ePpd — ????????? Palestine State News – PSN (@PalPSN) November 17, 2022 Sources at the Indonesian Public Hospital in nearby Beit Lahiya initially said many more people were injured and taken to the medical center and that the death toll was likely to rise. It was later confirmed that everyone in the house had died. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas declared national mourning in Gaza and the West Bank, calling the incident a “national disaster,” according to the PA’s official WAFA news agency. A spokesman for the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority government said Prime Minister Mohammad Staiyeh had ordered emergency aid. Hussein al-Sheikh, secretary general of the Palestine Liberation Organization’s executive committee, said he had asked Israel to open northern Gaza’s Erez crossing for the wounded to receive medical treatment from the Strip if needed. Defense Minister Benny Gantz then tweeted that Israel’s military liaison to the Palestinians, known as COGAT, had conveyed an offer to help with the humanitarian evacuation of casualties to Israeli hospitals. “We have offered our assistance in evacuating injured civilians to hospitals through COGAT. The State of Israel is ready to provide life-saving medical assistance to the people of Gaza,” Ganj said, expressing his condolences on behalf of the State of Israel and its security establishment. Tor Wennesland, the United Nations envoy for peace in the Middle East, expressed his “deepest condolences to the families, relatives and friends of those who lost their lives in the accident. the government and the Palestinian people.” Israeli policy said directly I joined the Times of Israel after many years covering US and Israeli politics for Jewish news outlets. I believe that covering Israeli politicians responsibly means presenting a 360-degree view of their words and actions – not just conveying what is happening, but also what it means in the larger context of Israeli society and the region. This is difficult to do because you can rarely take politicians at face value – you have to go the extra mile to present the full context and try to overcome your own biases. I am proud of our work that tells the story of Israeli politics straightforwardly and comprehensively. I believe that Israel is stronger and more democratic when professional journalists do this difficult job well. Your support of our work by joining The Times of Israel Community helps us ensure that we can continue to do so. Thank you, Tal Schneider, Political Correspondent Join our community Join our community Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this You are a devoted reader We are really glad that you read X Times of Israel articles last month. That’s why we started the Times of Israel ten years ago – to provide discerning readers like you with the must-read coverage of Israel and the Jewish world. So now we have a request. Unlike other media, we have not set up a paywall. But because the journalism we do is expensive, we invite readers to whom The Times of Israel has become important to help support our work by joining The Times of Israel Community. For just $6 a month you can support our quality journalism by enjoying Times of Israel ADS-FREE, as well as access to exclusive content available only to members of the Times of Israel Community. Thank you, David Horowitz, founding editor of the Times of Israel Join our community Join our community Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this
