Gaza: In a difficult account from the frontlines of Gaza’s humanitarian crisis, the Civil Defence authority has reported that thousands of Palestinians died trapped under rubble, unable to be rescued due to the absence of proper equipment on 25th June.
Mohammed al-Mughair, director of supplies and equipment for Gaza’s Civil Defence, revealed that emergency crews have been forced to rely on basic tools—shovels, hammers, and even their bare hands—amid relentless Israeli airstrikes targeting civilian areas.
Al-Mughair stated that over 170,000 emergency calls have been handled by the force, many involving the injured or dead. Yet their work is severely compromised by both resource shortages and constant danger. He noted that more than 25 percent of the Civil Defence team has been killed, adding immense psychological and physical strain to those who remain. Emergency responders have become frequent targets of Israeli attacks, despite their humanitarian role.
One of the most chilling revelations is the confirmed loss of 9,700 individuals who initially survived Israeli bombings but later died under the debris because rescue teams lacked the tools to reach them in time. Many of these strikes occurred in densely populated residential areas that were outside the so-called “red zones” designated for forced displacement by the Israeli military, further challenging the narrative of safe corridors for civilians.
Al-Mughair accused Israeli forces of deliberately targeting such locations to maximize casualties, stating that the strategy appears designed to increase the death toll by ensuring the wounded are left without aid. The Civil Defence's dire situation highlights the broader collapse of emergency infrastructure in Gaza under siege conditions, where medical services, fire response, and rescue operations have all but broken down due to ongoing attacks and blockade.
This account adds a deeply disturbing layer to the already catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza, where continued bombings, lack of aid, and absence of rescue machinery are combining to cost thousands of lives. As global organizations continue to call for an immediate ceasefire and unrestricted humanitarian access, the voices from Gaza’s Civil Defence underscore the deadly consequences of inaction.
