Al-Nuseirat – AFP

The Civil Defense in Gaza announced the recovery of more than 50 bodies from under the rubble and their transfer to hospitals across the Gaza Strip on Friday, following Israel’s announcement of a ceasefire and the start of its troop withdrawal.

Mohammed Al-Mugheer, an official from the Civil Defense affiliated with Hamas, confirmed the recovery of at least 55 bodies. He did not provide details on how or when these people were killed.

Mohammed Abu Salmiya, director of Al-Shifa Hospital, stated that 33 bodies were transferred to hospitals across Gaza City, which had been subjected to a heavy Israeli attack before the ceasefire on Friday.

He added that one of the dead was “targeted on Friday by Israeli fire near the Al-Baraka area in Sheikh Radwan, north of Gaza City.” The Israeli army announced that its forces had ceased fire.

The withdrawal of Israeli forces marked the beginning of a 72-hour period granted to Hamas to release the remaining hostages held in Gaza, according to a 20-point peace plan proposed by US President Donald Trump.

The Civil Defense confirmed the withdrawal of Israeli forces and their armored vehicles from their frontline positions in both Gaza City and the southern city of Khan Younis. After two years of intense war, thousands of displaced Palestinians began returning to their destroyed homes.