In the Gaza Strip, rescue workers discovered the remains of another 112 people under the rubble of destroyed buildings during search operations that have continued after more than two years of Israeli strikes, AFP reports, citing Gaza’s civil defense authority.

According to the agency, the remains were found in the Sabra area in the south of Gaza City after 136 hours of search work, which was largely carried out by hand. Among the dead recovered were 40 children, 38 women, and seven people with disabilities.

The operation lasted nearly two weeks with the support of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The organization’s representative in Gaza, Amani al-Nawouk, said that thousands of families in the enclave have been living for more than two and a half years in the hope of finding the remains of their loved ones, saying goodbye to them, and burying them with dignity.

“The search for the missing and the recovery of remains is an extremely important humanitarian issue,” she said.

The head of the search operation at the site, civil defense representative Mohammed Abu Dan, said that, according to preliminary estimates, another 157 bodies remain under the rubble in the area. According to him, rescuers continue to manually clear chunks of concrete and metal structures.

Gaza authorities say that thousands of people are still listed as missing and are believed to be under the rubble of buildings destroyed by Israeli airstrikes.

Gaza’s Ministry of Health reported more than 73,300 dead since the start of the war. The UN considers these figures credible.

The war began after Hamas militants attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,221 people and taking 251 others hostage to the Gaza Strip. The assault was the deadliest attack on Israel since the establishment of the state in 1948.