Gaza Civil Defense: We Lack the Resources to Recover Over 10,000 Bodies Under the Rubble

Kokcha News Agency – Mahmoud Basal, spokesperson for the Gaza Civil Defense, revealed in an interview with Al Jazeera that over 10,000 Palestinian bodies are still buried under the rubble following Israel’s two-year-long military offensive. Basal emphasized that the Civil Defense lacks the necessary equipment and resources to recover these bodies.

Basal highlighted the ongoing threat posed by unexploded ordnance left behind by Israeli attacks, which continue to endanger the lives of Palestinians in Gaza. Since the ceasefire took effect on October 10, Civil Defense teams have managed to recover the bodies of over 250 Palestinians, some of whom were found in the streets.

However, Basal stressed that the scale of the destruction and the lack of adequate equipment make it impossible to retrieve the remains of more than 10,000 people still trapped under the debris.

Israel’s military campaign, which began on October 8, 2023, and lasted for over two years until the ceasefire, resulted in the deaths of at least 67,682 Palestinians and left 170,033 others injured.