Gaza: Lack of machinery hampers search for 10K missing
Shafaq News – Gaza
Roughly 10,000 people remain trapped beneath the rubble of destroyed homes across the Gaza Strip, the Civil Defense warned Monday, as rescue operations struggle to advance despite a ceasefire in place since October 11.
Civil Defense spokesperson Mahmoud Basal described the situation as “critical,” citing a severe lack of heavy machinery, specialized tools, and trained personnel. He stressed that even post-ceasefire, search efforts have made no progress due to limited capacity.
Read more: Two years of Israeli war leave Gaza in ruins
The agency, Basal added, continues to field reports from families searching for missing relatives, with nearly 4,000 people still unaccounted for in Gaza City alone, excluding hard-hit areas like Tel al-Hawa and al-Zeitoun, where recovery work remains stalled due to dangerous conditions.
Meanwhile, the Gaza-run Health Ministry reported 57 new deaths in the past 24 hours—45 from earlier airstrikes and 12 recovered from debris—along with 158 injuries, noting that many victims remain unreachable due to blocked roads and ongoing risks.
Read more: Gaza Families return to ruins amid ceasefire
Since Israel launched its offensive on Gaza in October 7, 2023, the ministry has recorded 68,216 deaths and 170,361 injuries, with 80 additional fatalities, 303 injuries, and 426 bodies recovered since the ceasefire took effect.
