Israeli forces withdrawal results in extensive destruction at Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza

2024-04-18 18:28:00

The refugee camp in central Gaza was extensively destroyed after Israeli forces withdrew

Israeli forces have withdrawn from the Nuseirat refugee camp area in central Gaza after several days of deadly military operations, according to the Civil Defense Directorate in the besieged enclave.

Geolocated videos show widespread destruction in the area, with several apartment blocks destroyed or heavily damaged.

The Directorate said its teams were able to recover some bodies from the rubble, but heavy digging equipment would be needed to remove others.

Civil Defense spokesman Mahmoud Basal told CNN the situation was “tragic.”

“There is a huge scale of destruction, including residential buildings and infrastructure.”

Basal estimated that around 500 people were killed, wounded, detained or missing in the military operation. CNN cannot verify the estimate and has contacted the Israeli military regarding the scope and purpose of its operations in Nuseirat.

The Mayor of Nuseirat, Iyad Maghari, said that a week of Israeli attacks in the area “had deprived it of the most basic human services, such as water, sanitation and waste collection.”

Maghari said that about 25,000 square meters of roads, water wells and generators that pump water were destroyed.

He said about 20,000 tons of waste have accumulated on the streets and around shelters due to lack of fuel and the destruction of city vehicles, which creates a vermin problem.

The sewage system was badly damaged, he said, with more than 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) of pipes destroyed.

“Nuseirat Municipality is suffering from a significant shortage of diesel, which is needed to operate water wells… as well as to operate waste water treatment plants,” Maghari said.