Rescuers warn equipment shortages delaying recovery of thousands trapped under Gaza rubble

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society, PRCS in the Gaza Strip has warned that a severe shortage of heavy equipment is obstructing efforts to retrieve the bodies of thousands of Palestinians still trapped beneath the rubble of destroyed buildings.

In a statement issued on Monday, the Society said its teams are operating under “extremely harsh conditions” and with “very limited capabilities,” noting that the continued Israeli refusal to allow the entry of essential machinery is significantly delaying recovery operations.

According to the Red Crescent, more than 9,000 people killed in the Israeli assault remain buried under collapsed structures, with rescue teams unable to reach them.

Medical sources in Gaza reported that the overall death toll has risen to 70,112, the vast majority women and children, since the start of the Israeli genocide in October 2023. The number of wounded has reached 170,986, while many victims remain trapped under debris that ambulance and civil defence crews cannot access.

The sources added that over the past 24 hours, nine bodies and one injured person were brought to hospitals across the Strip. Since the ceasefire took effect on 11 October, 356 Palestinians have been killed, 909 wounded, and 616 bodies have been recovered from various destroyed sites.

The Red Crescent stressed that the lack of heavy lifting equipment not only hampers recovery efforts but also deepens the suffering of families awaiting news of their missing relatives.