Gaza death toll rising amid painstaking process of retrieving bodies

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Gaza Ministry of Health Telegram Channel
Today 17:56

Even with a ceasefire in place, the death toll from the Israeli aggression on Gaza continues to rise as thousands of bodies remain trapped under the rubble or scattered in the streets.

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Two boys hold Palestinian flags as they arrive to watch Hamas fighters hand over an Israeli-American captive to a Red Cross team in Gaza City, on February 1, 2025, as part of the fourth captive-prisoner exchange (AFP)

Hospitals in Gaza received the bodies of 27 martyrs, including 24 who were recovered from under the rubble and two who had succumbed to their injuries, in addition to eight injuries in 24 hours, Gaza’s Health Ministry announced today.

The ministry confirmed that a number of victims remain under the rubble and on the roads, with ambulance and civil defense crews unable to reach them.

This brings the total number of Palestinians killed in the Israeli aggression on Gaza since October 7, 2023, to 47,487, in addition to 111,588 injuries.

Meanwhile, Gaza Civil Defense spokesperson Mahmoud Basal highlighted that their crews in the northern Gaza Strip Governorate retrieved the bodies of 37 martyrs that the Israeli occupation forces had excavated from graves around Kamal Adwan Hospital and buried in unmarked mass graves the Martyr Ismail Abu al-Qumsan area.

“These precious bodies were buried in the Beit Lahia Project Cemetery,” he added.

On the situation in Gaza, he lamented the “tragic and extremely difficult humanitarian situation” the residents of the Gaza Strip are living in as they remain in the open without any shelter or any means of life.

He highlighted that bad winter weather is expected to hit the area, “which will pose a grave danger to the lives of hundreds of thousands of citizens who live in tents and dilapidated homes.”

Basal also warned of the large quantities of Israeli occupation remnants that are still scattered in the streets and under destroyed homes and buildings, which poses a grave danger to the lives of civilians.

In this context, he called on the international community and human rights organizations to “intervene urgently and immediately to save the lives of citizens before it is too late.”

Opening streets hindered by lack of machinery

The destruction of most of Gaza Municipality's equipment and the lack of specialized machinery have hindered the process of opening the main streets and branched roads that were cut off in Gaza City due to the rubble of buildings destroyed and the occupation's bulldozing of these areas.

The municipality confirmed in a statement today, Saturday, that most of the roads are difficult to open due to the accumulation of large amounts of rubble and the lack of specialized machinery, such as bulldozers, trucks for transporting rubble, and loaders, among others.

The municipality explained that the occupation destroyed about 80% of the municipality's machinery, thus their lack and the inability to open the roads. This has driven the municipality to resort to the private sector, which also suffers from the same shortages.

In this context, Gaza Municipality demanded all international and local organizations to quickly intervene and save human life in the city and provide the machinery necessary for opening the streets to facilitate the movement of citizens within the city and toward the south or north.

60% of Gaza City lacks water

Moreover, Gaza City is facing a severe water crisis that threatens the lives of hundreds of thousands of residents, as 60% of the city's areas lack water.

Despite Gaza Municipality’s efforts, a severe shortage of pipes and equipment needed to repair water networks is hampering maintenance efforts and compounding the citizens' suffering.

With the truce coming into effect, the municipality initiated field visits to monitor the required needs and determine the necessary maintenance for pipelines, networks, and wells so that its crews could carry out the necessary maintenance work as quickly as possible due to the urgent need and to ensure that water reaches citizens.

The municipality appealed to the international community and humanitarian organizations to intervene urgently and provide the pipes and equipment needed to repair the damaged water networks, stressing that the water crisis in Gaza requires a radical and comprehensive solution that ensures the sustainable provision of water to all residents.