Kathmandu— Rescue crews in Gaza are continuing the arduous task of searching for thousands of Palestinians believed to be buried beneath the ruins of buildings destroyed during recent Israeli strikes, with some structures having been hit months ago. The recovery efforts are taking place amidst a fragile ceasefire and stalled peace negotiations, complicated by Israel’s rejection of a US-led proposal that would link Hamas relinquishing control of Gaza to an Israeli withdrawal. Limited access to heavy machinery is forcing crews to rely on basic tools in their search for remains, some of which have been trapped under debris for years.

Ongoing Recovery Efforts

Gaza’s Civil Defense estimates that approximately 8,000 Palestinians killed during the conflict remain buried beneath collapsed structures. The scale of destruction and a persistent lack of resources, particularly excavators and other heavy machinery, are significantly hindering recovery operations. Crews often resort to searching through rubble with rudimentary tools, prolonging the process and causing further distress for families awaiting closure.

Challenges to Peace Negotiations

The recovery work is unfolding against the backdrop of a fragile ceasefire and disagreements over a peace roadmap proposed last month by US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace. The proposal calls for Hamas to relinquish control of Gaza in exchange for an Israeli withdrawal from the enclave, but Israel has rejected it, demanding that Hamas disarm first. Continued Israeli strikes are further complicating recovery operations and hindering efforts to locate and identify those still missing.

Grim Realities Faced by Rescue Workers

Local journalist Rami Almughari, reporting for RT, visited a Civil Defense operation in southern Gaza City where crews were searching the ruins of a three-story building struck during Ramadan 2024. Thirteen people were killed in the strike, and rescuers are currently attempting to recover the remains of four individuals still trapped beneath the rubble. Almughari noted that due to the prolonged time bodies have spent under the debris, recovery often yields only bones and fragments of remains.

Recovery efforts continue as families desperately seek closure, but progress is slow due to limited resources and ongoing political obstacles.

(With inputs from RT)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.