Gaza Strip: Rescue teams recover 354 bodies from rubble

Rescue teams have recovered 354 bodies from under the rubble of destroyed buildings in the Gaza Strip following the declaration of a ceasefire.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health reported that more than 14,000 people are still missing in the enclave, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) highlighted the scale of the devastation, noting that it could take up to 20 years to remove the 50 million tonnes of debris and rubble from Gaza.

Note that, Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas have agreed to a ceasefire deal with Israel after more than 460 days of a war that has devastated Gaza.

On January 30, eight more hostages were released from the Gaza Strip by Hamas-led militants, following a sometimes chaotic process that briefly delayed Israel's release of 110 Palestinian prisoners. 

The exchange of hostages and prisoners is central to the ceasefire agreement, which aims to end the conflict that began with the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas. So far, 15 hostages and hundreds of prisoners have been freed, though many hostages remain in captivity.

Additionally, Hamas confirmed the death of Mohammed Deif, its military leader and one of the alleged planners of the October attack, although Israel had reported his death six months ago in an airstrike.

By Aghakazim Guliyev