A trembling hand emerges from the rubble as a woman desperately seeks help. Trapped beneath a collapsed building in Gaza, her plight mirrors that of countless Gazans who have lost their lives in the past week.
She continues to wave her hand, hoping to catch someone’s attention and be rescued. Yet, with ambulances and emergency personnel scarce in most Gaza neighborhoods, carrying out rescue operations has become a challenging task.
People are making valiant attempts to save survivors from the wreckage using their own bare hands. There are no ambulances, firefighters, or equipment available. This woman persistently moves her hand, yearning for someone to notice her. This scenario is unfolding throughout Gaza.
In situations like these, it is the civilians who are left to retrieve survivors from the rubble, despite lacking electric cutters or specialized tools.
Israel initiated airstrikes on suspected Hamas hideouts on Saturday in response to rocket attacks launched by the Palestinian group, which targeted both Israelis near the border and civilians.
The situation is expected to deteriorate further, as the Israeli military has instructed one million Gazans to evacuate the city and relocate southward. They claim that Hamas operatives are hiding in tunnels under Gaza City and have warned of significant operations that will be carried out in the city in the coming days.
In anticipation of this mass movement, the United Nations has relocated its operations to southern Gaza, citing the potential for devastating humanitarian consequences.
Gaza shares borders with Egypt to the south and Israel to the north and east.