A psychologist compares living in Gaza to death row 2:03
Gaza (CNN) --
At least 21 people, including entire families and children, were killed Thursday when a fire broke out in a residential building inside a refugee camp in northern Gaza, Palestinian authorities in Gaza said.
The fire broke out in the Jabaliya refugee camp, the Gaza Interior Ministry said.
A preliminary investigation found a large amount of gasoline inside the building, which contributed to the escalation of the fire, he added.
Everyone in the building was killed, ministry spokesman Iyad Al-Bazm said.
The dead included entire families, local media said, and the victims included a doctor, a local government official and a pharmacist, and their wives and children.
Hussein AlSheikh, secretary general of the executive committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), called on Israel to open the Erez crossing to allow the wounded to be transported to hospitals outside Gaza.
Palestinian firefighters put out flames in a fire-ravaged building in Gaza's Jabalia refugee camp on November 17.
Israel's Defense Minister Benny Gantz said it would be right for Israel to do it to save human life, but it appears there were no injured survivors to transport.
Israel controls the Erez crossing, one of the few checkpoints allowing movement between Israel and Gaza.
Police forces, civil defense and forensic teams are still investigating the incident, the Gaza Interior Ministry said.
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Many families living in Gaza stockpile gasoline and diesel to generate power, as the territory has electricity for only eight hours a day since it only has one power station.
Hamas, the militant movement that rules Gaza, expressed its sorrow over the deaths and called on the Palestinian people to take part in the funerals for the victims on Friday.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas declared a day of mourning for the victims.