DaysofPal- As the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas continues for a second day, Palestinians have recovered dozens of bodies from beneath the debris in Gaza, and search operations are ongoing for thousands more.
Medical sources reported that 137 bodies were retrieved in the destroyed city of Rafah in southern Gaza following the ceasefire. This coincided with the release of the first three captives held by Hamas and 90 Palestinians from Israeli prisons.
The Palestinian Civil Defense Agency estimates that 10,000 bodies remain buried under the debris across Gaza.
Mahmoud Basal, spokesperson for the Palestinian Civil Emergency Services, stated that at least 2,840 bodies were incinerated beyond recognition.
Displaced residents returning to their neighborhoods have been devastated by the scale of destruction after more than 15 months of war. “The level of destruction was a big shock,” said Mohamed Gomaa, who lost his brother and nephew in the conflict. “The number of people feeling this shock is countless because of what happened to their homes. It’s total destruction.”
On Sunday, more than 630 aid trucks entered Gaza, according to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, with at least 300 directed to the northern enclave, where famine looms.
A recent UN damage assessment revealed that clearing over 50 million tonnes of rubble from Israel’s bombardment could take 21 years and cost $1.2 billion. Additionally, the debris is believed to be contaminated with asbestos, as some refugee camps targeted during the war were built with the material. A UN Development Programme official noted that Gaza’s development has been set back by 69 years due to the conflict.
Rebuilding shattered homes could take until 2040, or potentially much longer, according to a UN report. The extent of destruction underscores the long road to recovery for Gaza and its people.
According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, 46,876 Palestinians have been killed and 110,642 wounded in Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza starting on October 7, 2023.
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