Gaza faces crisis with 8,000 bodies estimated under rubble

An estimated 8,000 bodies remain buried under the rubble of more than 300 buildings in the Gaza Strip. Local civil defense teams and the International Committee of the Red Cross are working to recover victims, a process described as physically and psychologically exhausting for rescuers. At the current rate, experts estimate that recovering all buried remains could take more than a decade.

Ajith Sunghay, head of the UN Human Rights Office in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, noted that approximately half of the bodies recovered in Gaza City this month were women and children. Officials report that recovery efforts face significant obstacles, including resource shortages, Israeli blockades, and difficulties in conducting forensic examinations, which increases the risk of losing evidence.

In addition to the ongoing recovery crisis, recent Israeli military strikes have resulted in further casualties. Reports from the Gaza Ministry of Health indicate that at least four Palestinians were killed in separate attacks near Gaza City, the Nuseirat refugee camp, and Jabalia. Among the deceased were a 10-year-old girl and the son of a high-ranking health ministry official.