Palestinians began searching for bodies under rubble in Gaza

Palestinians began searching for bodies under rubble in Gaza

GAZA CITY
Palestinians began searching for bodies under rubble in Gaza

Palestinian rescue agencies and resident have begun searching for thousands of Gazans believed still buried under rubble, as residents expressed shock at the devastation wrought by 15 months of war on the enclave on the third day of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

The truce in the 15-month-old conflict, which has laid waste to the Gaza Strip and inflamed the Middle East, took effect on Jan. 19 with the release of the first three hostages held by Hamas and 90 Palestinians freed from Israeli jails.

Palestinians recovered dozens of bodies buried under rubble in Gaza and are searching for thousands more.

Medical sources told Al Jazeera that the bodies of 97 Palestinians have been recovered as of Jan. 20 in the destroyed city of Rafah in southern Gaza since the ceasefire took effect.

Some others desperately searched for any sign of their family members.

Israeli attacks on Gaza killed more than 47,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and wounded more than 111,000, according to local health authorities.

But the Palestinian Civil Defense agency said it estimated there are 10,000 bodies under destroyed structures across the strip.

At least 2,840 bodies were “melted” and there are no traces of them, said Mahmoud Basal, spokesperson of the agency.

Residents and medics in Gaza said that for the most part the ceasefire appeared to be holding, although there were isolated incidents. Medics said eight people had been hit by Israeli fire in the southern city of Rafah, without giving details of their condition.

The Israeli military on Tuesday said that displaced Palestinians will be able to return to northern Gaza from the strip’s south, if Hamas upholds the ceasefire deal.

Under the agreement, on the seventh day of the ceasefire, unarmed Gazans will be allowed to return on foot to north Gaza without any inspection, via the coastal road. Vehicles returning to north Gaza will be required to undergo an inspection by a private company to be determined by the mediators and Israel.

Meanwhile, Hamas police and security forces were operating in Gaza in a sign of the group’s desire to back in control.

Hamas's deputy interior minister for the territory, Mahmud Abu Watfah, inspected armed police, some in fatigues and others dressed in black, before they patrolled the bombed-out streets of Gaza City.

He said they also wanted "to control the situation on the ground in case of any chaos. This was achieved from the first hour of the deployment of the ministry of interior and the security forces."

Israeli leaders including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have repeatedly said that the goal of the war in Gaza was to dismantle Hamas’ military and governance capabilities.

They have insisted that those objectives will be met despite the ceasefire agreement, amid heavy criticism from far-right members of Netanyahu's governing coalition who have demanded a resumption of military operations after the six-week first phase of the ceasefire ends.

The Palestinian Authority repeated that it is ready to take on its responsibilities in the Gaza Strip.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar also did not rule out the possibility that Israel would accept the Palestinian Authority playing a role in post-war Gaza, but only if the body underwent a process of deep reform.