60 Bodies Discovered Following Israeli Operation in Gaza City

Photo : AFP

Gaza City: Around 60 bodies were discovered under the rubble of a Gaza City neighborhood, officials in the Hamas-run territory said Thursday, following an Israeli military operation that has recently concluded. The upsurge in fighting, bombardment, and displacement in the eastern district of Shujaiya coincided with truce and hostage release negotiations mediated by Qatar.

US President Joe Biden informed reporters that his administration is "making progress" towards a ceasefire agreement, calling for an end to the Israel-Hamas war. This statement followed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's demand for Israel to retain control of key Gaza territories along the Egyptian border, conflicting with Hamas's position that Israel must withdraw from all Gaza territories post-ceasefire.

Gaza’s civil defense agency reported that approximately 60 bodies were found under the rubble in Shujaiya, following some of the heaviest combat in Gaza City in months. Hamas stated that Israel’s operation in the area resulted in the destruction of "more than 300 residential units and over 100 businesses."

Mohammed Nairi, a resident of Shujaiya, described the devastation: "Immense destruction that defies description. All the houses were demolished." The Israeli military confirmed on Wednesday the completion of its mission in Shujaiya after two weeks, yet bombardments and fighting continue to affect Gaza City.

Witnesses reported that tanks and troops have advanced to other parts of the city. An AFP correspondent noted airstrikes in the Sabra neighborhood while heavy clashes occurred between militants and Israeli forces in Tel al-Hawa. Hamas reported 45 airstrikes in the Gaza City area and in Gaza’s southernmost city of Rafah, where Netanyahu announced the nearing conclusion of the war's intense phase.

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Netanyahu’s office confirmed that the negotiating team, led by Mossad intelligence chief David Barnea, returned to Israel after talks with mediators in Doha. Netanyahu emphasized Israel’s need to control the Palestinian side of Gaza’s border with Egypt to prevent weapon supplies to Hamas and reiterated the necessity to continue fighting until Hamas is destroyed and all hostages are returned.

In Washington, President Biden acknowledged the complexities of reaching a ceasefire but noted progress. "There are a lot of difficult, complex issues," he said, adding that it's time to end the war. The Washington Post reported that both Israel and Hamas had shown willingness to accept an "interim governance" plan involving a US-trained force of Palestinian Authority supporters to provide security.

The Pentagon announced plans to end its effort to deliver aid to Gaza by sea from Cyprus due to repeated damage to a temporary pier from weather conditions. The UN's health agency stated that only five trucks with medical supplies were allowed into Gaza last week, while over 34 trucks and 850 pallets of supplies are awaiting clearance at the Al Arish crossing.

Hamas’s attack on southern Israel on October 7, which sparked the ongoing war, resulted in 1,195 deaths, mostly civilians. Hamas militants also took hostages, with 116 still in Gaza, including 42 reportedly deceased. Israel's military response has killed at least 38,345 people in Gaza, predominantly civilians, according to Gaza’s health ministry.

On Wednesday, the Israeli army dropped leaflets warning Gaza City residents of continued danger and urging them to evacuate, outlining designated escape routes. The UN warned that the latest evacuations would exacerbate suffering for Palestinian families already in dire need.

Hamas official Hossam Badran told AFP that Israel hopes the resistance will relent on its demands, but ongoing massacres compel adherence to those demands. Israeli military operations continue in Rafah, with "dozens" of militants reportedly killed in the past day. The military responded with air and ground strikes after five rockets were fired from the area towards Israel.

The military acknowledged its failure to protect Kibbutz Beeri, where over 100 people were killed during Hamas's October 7 attacks, citing a "lack of coordination" in the response.