In a significant development, Israeli forces have withdrawn from certain districts of Gaza City after a week-long offensive, leading to the discovery of numerous casualties and widespread destruction. The Gaza Civil Emergency Service reported that approximately 60 bodies have been recovered from areas like Tel Al-Hawa and the outskirts of the Sabra neighborhood.
The offensive, part of Israel’s ongoing campaign against Hamas militants, has resulted in intense urban combat and severe damage to the city’s infrastructure. The operation coincides with efforts by U.S.-backed mediators to finalize a peace deal aimed at securing the release of hostages taken by Hamas during their attack on October 7 last year.
Gaza’s Civil Defense spokesperson, Mahmoud Basal, described the scene as catastrophic, with bodies strewn across the streets and entire families found dead in their homes. While Israeli tanks have retreated from some locations, snipers and tanks remain in strategic positions, warning residents against returning to their homes.
Israel’s military stated that they had discovered drones and weaponry in what they identified as a Hamas combat complex located within the former UNRWA headquarters in Gaza City. The military also reported finding a significant Hamas tunnel and weapons production site under a nearby university building.
Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants claimed to have inflicted casualties on Israeli forces using anti-tank rockets and mortar fire, although these claims have not been confirmed by the Israeli military.
Gaza City, home to a substantial portion of the enclave’s population before the conflict, has seen its infrastructure devastated. Many residents, forced to flee previously, returned on Friday to assess the damage. Scenes of destruction were widespread, including at the former UNRWA headquarters, with bodies of the deceased lined up at Al-Ahli Hospital.
In southern Gaza’s Khan Younis, an airstrike on an aid distribution center run by the Al-Khair Foundation resulted in the deaths of four workers, according to Hamas media.
Diplomatic efforts continue as Arab mediators, supported by the United States, strive to negotiate a ceasefire. The deal would potentially involve the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. However, a senior Hamas official accused Israel of delaying the process, despite Hamas dropping a key demand to facilitate the U.S.-drafted ceasefire proposal.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu affirmed his commitment to the ceasefire framework but criticized Hamas for making contradictory demands. Negotiations are ongoing, with discussions reportedly involving an electronic surveillance system along the Gaza-Egypt border, which could allow Israeli troops to withdraw from the area. Israel has dismissed reports of these negotiations as “absolute fake news.”
The conflict, sparked by Hamas’s deadly attack on October 7, has resulted in significant casualties on both sides. According to Israeli counts, Hamas-led militants killed 1,200 people and took over 250 hostages. In retaliation, Israeli forces have killed over 38,000 Palestinians, as reported by Gaza’s medical authorities.
