The bodies of at least 33 Palestinians have been recovered from Gaza City today, Al-Shifa Hospital Director Dr. Mohammed Abu Salmiya told CNN, after the Israeli military withdrew from some areas of the city.
Some of the bodies were unable to be immediately identified, so they were sent to Al-Shifa as it is the only hospital in Gaza with a forensic medicine department, Salmiya said.
33 Bodies Recovered After Israeli Troop Withdrawal From Gaza City, Hospital Director Says
GAZA CITY — At least 33 bodies of Palestinians were recovered in Gaza City following the recent withdrawal of Israeli forces from several neighborhoods, a local hospital director confirmed on Tuesday.
Medical staff at Al-Shifa Arab Hospital said emergency teams and volunteers entered areas that had been inaccessible for weeks due to heavy fighting. What they found were scenes of devastation — collapsed buildings, charred streets, and bodies lying beneath rubble and in open streets.
“We recovered 33 bodies, including women and children,” said the hospital director, who described the conditions as “catastrophic.” Many of the deceased were in advanced states of decomposition, indicating they had been left there for days, possibly weeks.
Residents returning to their homes reported widespread destruction, with entire blocks flattened and basic infrastructure wiped out. Local civil defense teams are still combing through debris, fearing more bodies may yet be found.
Israeli forces had pulled back from parts of Gaza City as part of repositioning operations, according to Israeli military officials. While the military maintains its operations target Hamas fighters and infrastructure, Palestinian officials say civilians continue to pay the highest price.
International aid groups are calling for immediate humanitarian access, warning of deepening crisis amid limited medical supplies, food shortages, and the collapse of public health services.
The discovery of the bodies has once again ignited appeals from global organizations for an independent investigation into civilian casualties and protection of non-combatants in the conflict.
