Gaza Rescuers Recover Bodies From Home Destroyed Early in War

Palestinian Civil Defense teams have begun recovering the bodies of 13 Palestinians trapped beneath the rubble of a family home destroyed by an Israeli strike during the early days of the Gaza war.

The operation, coordinated with the International Committee of the Red Cross, is taking place at the Gharbiya family home in the Al-Katiba area west of Gaza City. Civil Defense spokesman Mahmoud Basal said the victims include women, children and elderly people.

Basal said severe shortages of heavy machinery, fuel, equipment and protective gear are slowing recovery efforts across Gaza. Crews are often forced to work with their bare hands, while thousands of people are believed to remain buried beneath destroyed buildings.

The latest operation is part of a second-phase recovery project launched on July 19. The current phase covers 147 destroyed buildings, where authorities estimate 1,072 bodies remain trapped beneath the rubble.