Gaza : In the wake of the Israeli military’s intense bombardment in the Gaza Strip, heart-wrenching scenes have emerged, with a significant loss of life, particularly among innocent children. The Gaza Strip, part of Palestine, has witnessed extensive and devastating casualties as a result of Israel’s military aggression.
The Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza, which is grappling with an overwhelming number of casualties, is now facing an acute shortage of cold storage capacity for the bodies of Palestinian victims who lost their lives in the Israeli airstrikes. This dire situation further exacerbates the tragic consequences of the conflict.
In Western Gaza City, hundreds of Palestinian residents have been searching for the remains of their loved ones in the debris of destroyed residential buildings. Ithna Jamal al-Masri, a Palestinian resident, described the horrifying moment when the neighborhood was suddenly engulfed by Israeli airstrikes. He recounted, “We were sleeping when suddenly the whole area was struck by the bombings. My house, my brother’s house, my family, and many other homes were completely destroyed.”
Incredibly moving accounts of those directly affected are filled with sorrow and despair. Another resident expressed, “We have all perished.”
The difficult security conditions have made it challenging to perform the last rites and bury the deceased with the dignity and reverence they deserve. Some bodies are so severely injured that their families are struggling to reach them, and others are left with no choice but to helplessly watch their loved ones’ remains scattered among the rubble.
Every bag is labeled with the name of the deceased, or in some cases, a reference to their family, allowing the grieving families to identify and locate their dear ones. Despite these efforts, some bodies remain unclaimed, with no living relatives to perform the last rites.
The size of the children’s shrouds in the local hospitals, which are used for wrapping the deceased, is a poignant indicator of the scale of the tragedy, as they are much smaller than those of adults.
The passageways of Al-Shifa Hospital are filled with injured patients and the mournful wails of those who have lost their dear ones. In front of the mortuary gates, scores of people weep, trying to console each other in the face of immense grief.
As the conflict rages on, Gaza continues to bear the heavy burden of human suffering, with heartbreaking tales of loss and destruction unfolding amid the relentless violence. The international community is closely watching the situation, with deep concern for the well-being of the civilians caught in the midst of this devastating conflict.
Source: Al Arabia Net
