Gaza Civil Defense estimates 170 bodies in rubble of 8 Israeli-destroyed buildings
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Gaza's Civil Defense Directorate reports that an estimated 170 bodies lie under the rubble of eight buildings destroyed by Israeli attacks since October 2023. Recovery teams are working to reach the remains, the agency said on Friday. Even as those efforts proceed, 157 people are still unaccounted for with no trace found, a team leader said.
The Rubble Assessment
Gaza's Civil Defense Directorate issued a written statement on Friday detailing its assessment. It concluded that 170 bodies are likely buried under the debris of eight residential buildings completely destroyed by Israeli bombardment since October 2023. The agency said its teams conducted surveys and inspections at the sites to arrive at the estimate. The statement did not specify the exact locations of the buildings. The assessment follows the recent recovery of 112 bodies from another collapsed building in Gaza City.
Recovery Efforts
Search operations are underway to reach the remains, the directorate said. On August 1, search teams recovered 112 bodies from a building in Gaza City after 136 hours of work over two weeks. Among the dead were 40 children, 38 women, and seven people with disabilities, the agency reported. Team leader Muhammad Abu Dan said 157 other people remain missing under the rubble with no trace found. The building had been targeted in November 2023 in the Sabra neighborhood, where the Hasayine and Abu Sharia families lived.
The Missing Toll
After searching the rubble of the November 2023 attack, teams could not find any trace of 157 people reported missing, Abu Dan said. The families of the missing have been waiting nearly three years for news. The 112 recovered bodies were buried in a mass funeral attended by large crowds, the Civil Defense Directorate said. The search for the remaining missing continues alongside the new assessment at the eight building sites.
What's Next
The Civil Defense Directorate said it will continue recovery operations at the eight building sites. It remains unclear how long it will take to extract the estimated 170 bodies, given the scale of destruction and limited equipment available to rescue teams.
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Gaza Civil Defense estimates 170 bodies in rubble of 8 Israeli-destroyed buildings
