Palestinians Return to Destruction in Shijaiyah After Israeli Offensive

Palestinians in Gaza's Shijaiyah district face scenes of severe destruction after a two-week Israeli offensive. Civil defense teams have recovered 60 bodies so far. The assault displaced around 80,000 people, with widespread hunger reported in refugee camps. Israel claims to have targeted Hamas militants, which Palestinians dispute.

Palestinians have returned to a landscape of desolation in Shijaiyah, Gaza City, as Israeli troops ended their two-week offensive. Civil defense workers reported discovering 60 bodies amid the ruins.

Displaced families ventured back to assess their homes or salvage what they could. Almost every building lay in heaps of rubble, with scant remnants standing. Israeli military drones buzzed incessantly as residents navigated dirt paths where streets once stood.

Sharif Abu Shanab, whose four-story building was reduced to debris, expressed his hopelessness. 'We have nothing, no food or drink,' he lamented, as his family was left homeless, sleeping on the streets.

Israel's recent assault, part of a nine-month war against Hamas, desolated Shijaiyah and displaced approximately 80,000 Palestinians. The Israeli military claimed to have killed dozens of militants and destroyed eight tunnels, although these statements remain unconfirmed.

Emergency crews, hindered during the offensive, have since entered the district and continue to search for bodies, with more assistance still needed. The United Nations estimates 300,000 people in northern Gaza are facing severe hunger and dire conditions in overcrowded tent camps.

The conflict stems from Hamas' attack on Oct 7, which led to Israel's extensive ground offensives that have since caused over 38,300 deaths in Gaza, as reported by Gaza's Health Ministry. The international community scrutinizes Israel's actions, with allegations of genocide under investigation.

(With inputs from agencies.)