Emergency crews in Gaza City are tirelessly recovering bodies from the Tel al-Hawa neighborhood, with dozens of bodies arriving at Al-Ahli Hospital on Friday morning. Civil defense workers are working around the clock to retrieve the dead from the rubble of destroyed streets and buildings, painting a grim picture of the ongoing conflict’s devastating toll on civilians.
The director of Al-Ahli Hospital, Fadel Naem, reported that both deceased and wounded individuals had been brought in from Tel al-Hawa. This influx came less than a day after the hospital resumed operations following an earlier evacuation prompted by intense fighting in the area.
In Tel al-Hawa, approximately 60 bodies have been recovered, including entire families who appear to have been killed by artillery fire and aerial bombardment. Mahmoud Basal, the director of Civil Defense in Gaza, highlighted the challenges in reaching some homes, noting that many victims had been burned inside their residences. Many of those killed had recently left nearby shelters after being ordered to evacuate, only to face deadly attacks in their homes.
The Israeli military has not commented on the situation in Tel al-Hawa. The scenes in this neighborhood mirror those in Shuja’iyyah, another Gaza City area from which the Israeli military has recently withdrawn. Civil defense workers found an additional 60 bodies in Shuja’iyyah on Thursday, with many more believed to be buried under the rubble. In Tel al-Hawa, bodies were found decomposing or partially mauled by dogs, adding to the harrowing conditions.
The United Nations estimates that around 300,000 Palestinians remain in northern Gaza despite evacuation orders. The majority of Gaza’s 2.3 million people, who left earlier in the conflict, are now experiencing widespread hunger and living in overcrowded, squalid tent camps.
This conflict began after a Hamas attack on October 7, where militants stormed into southern Israel, killing approximately 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting around 250 individuals. Since then, Israeli ground offensives and bombardments have resulted in over 38,300 deaths in Gaza, according to the territory’s Health Ministry, which does not differentiate between combatants and civilians.
As these tragic events unfold, mediators in Cairo are striving to bridge the gap between Israel and Hamas regarding a proposal for a cease-fire and hostage release in Gaza. The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has confirmed that Israel will send a delegation for further talks, as U.S., Egyptian, and Qatari mediators work towards an agreement. However, obstacles remain, with Hamas insisting that negotiations continue until a permanent cease-fire is achieved, while Netanyahu maintains that Israel will not agree to any deal that halts its military campaign before Hamas is eliminated.
Netanyahu is facing increasing pressure both at home and abroad. Many Israelis are calling for a deal to release the hostages after nine months of conflict, but Netanyahu remains firm that the military offensive will continue until Israel achieves its goal of dismantling Hamas. In a sign of the mounting pressure, relatives of hostages are marching to Jerusalem to demand a deal and the release of their loved ones, and Israeli politicians, including Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, are calling for a broad government investigation into the conduct of Israel’s leaders.
The risk of regional escalation remains significant. The Israeli military reported the death of a soldier in northern Israel amid ongoing cross-border fire between Israel’s army and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. Hezbollah, backed by Iran, has been attacking Israel in support of Hamas and has stated it will stop its assaults once a cease-fire is established in Gaza.
In a press conference on Thursday, President Joe Biden expressed disappointment and frustration with the war and the actions of Israel’s government, while also highlighting increasing hopes for a cease-fire. Biden stated that both Israel and Hamas had agreed on the general terms of a deal to pause fighting and release hostages, with mediators working to finalize the details of the agreement.
