Palestine declares day of mourning after fire kills 21 in Gaza

Gaza, The Gulf Observer: At least 21 people have been killed and several others injured after a fire broke out in a building where residents attended a party in Gaza, health and civil emergency officials said.

Footage circulated on social media showed and witnesses said the whole residential building caught fire on Thursday in the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza, sending up flames and smoke from the site.

Witnesses said they could hear screaming but they could not reach the victims to offer help because of the intensity of the fire.Gaza’s civil defence unit confirmed in a statement that 21 people had been killed.

Jabalia is one of eight refugee camps in Gaza, home to 2.3 million people, and one of the most densely populated areas in the world.Hamas, which governs the Israel-blockaded Palestinian enclave, said the cause of the fire remained unknown and that several others had been injured, without providing figures.