Gaza civil defense launches second phase to recover 1,072 missing bodies

The Gaza Civil Defence announced the start of a second 800‑hour phase to search for 1,072 bodies believed to be buried under the rubble of 147 destroyed homes in the central, northern and Gaza governorates. In the first phase, teams worked more than 500 hours, clearing debris from 54 buildings and retrieving 333 of the 559 bodies they set out to find, leaving 226 still missing.

The operation proceeds with only one excavator, one bulldozer and one truck, supplied by the International Committee of the Red Cross. Officials say the limited heavy‑machinery hampers the speed of recovery amid thousands of tonnes of debris. They have called on the United Nations and other international actors to provide additional equipment and to pressure Israel to allow its entry.

A separate Egyptian‑led human‑rights mission reported ongoing restrictions on humanitarian aid entering Gaza, noting shortages of medical supplies such as ventilators and incubators, and that Egypt handles a majority of aid convoys. The mission documented violations against children and civilians, underscoring the broader humanitarian crisis surrounding the body‑recovery effort.