DaysofPal–Palestinian Civil Defense spokesperson Mahmoud Basal revealed on Wednesday, December 11, 2024, that dozens of civilians trapped under the rubble of destroyed homes in northern Gaza have died, as rescue teams are unable to respond to their pleas for help.
He added that Israel’s relentless attacks have devastated rescue capabilities and left humanitarian missions paralyzed.
In an exclusive statement, Basal asserted that Israeli forces are deliberately targeting residential buildings with families inside, calling it a campaign of genocide and ethnic cleansing against Palestinians in northern Gaza.
“Every day, we receive distress calls from injured civilians trapped under rubble,” Basal said. “But our teams can’t reach them. Constant targeting has rendered our operations non-functional, leading to a rising death toll.”
He noted that scores of bodies remain in the streets and beneath collapsed buildings, unreachable for recovery or burial.
Basal stressed that the ongoing escalation reveals the immense humanitarian challenges facing rescue operations, as there is no safety, no equipment, and no infrastructure.
Since Israel invaded Jabalia and northern Gaza on October 5, 2023, more than 3,000 people are estimated to remain missing under the rubble, according to Civil Defense data.
Basal called on the international community and human rights organizations to take moral and humanitarian responsibility for protecting civilian lives in Gaza.
Despite international humanitarian laws and the Fourth Geneva Convention, which guarantee the protection of civil defense personnel during armed conflict, Basal said Israel has systematically targeted rescue teams.
He reported that 89 civil defense workers have been killed, others arrested, and their vehicles and headquarters destroyed.
“The situation is catastrophic,” he concluded. “We need urgent global action to stop these crimes and protect innocent lives.”
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