Gaza’s Aftermath: Massive Destruction, 155 Bodies Found as Ceasefire Takes Hold

October 11, 2025

Amidst the ceasefire in Gaza, the grim task of recovery continues. (Photo: social media, via QNN)

By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

A fragile Gaza ceasefire holds as recovery efforts reveal the horrific scale of the genocide, with 155 bodies recovered and local authorities cataloging the catastrophic destruction of 85% of Khan Yunis and Gaza City.

A fragile calm has descended upon the Gaza Strip following the implementation of the first phase of a ceasefire and captive-release agreement between Hamas and Israel. The deal, brokered after four days of indirect negotiations in Sharm el-Sheikh and announced by US President Donald Trump on Thursday, saw the truce take effect at 12:00 PM Friday, Jerusalem time.

The agreement immediately triggered a massive return of internally displaced Palestinians, with hundreds of thousands streaming back to Gaza City and northern areas despite the overwhelming devastation. Scenes of destroyed buildings and rubble are widespread.

Recovery Efforts Continue

Amidst the ceasefire, the grim task of recovery continues. Medical sources reported after midnight that the bodies of 155 people reached Gaza hospitals within the past 24 hours, including 135 bodies recovered from under the rubble, according to the Palestinian news agency Wafa.

The sources also noted that 19 individuals were killed by Israeli occupation fire on Friday, in addition to one citizen who succumbed to previous wounds. Specifically, 16 people were killed in a bombing of the Ghoboun family home south of Gaza City, one citizen was killed in the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood, and two citizens were killed in an Israeli raid south of Khan Yunis.

Meanwhile, the Civil Defense teams and the Gaza Interior Ministry have begun widespread operations to search for the missing and restore order.

Humanitarian and Infrastructure Catastrophe

The scale of the destruction has been starkly revealed. The Mayor of Khan Yunis announced in a press conference that 85% of the governorate is destroyed. The city faces the task of removing approximately 400,000 tons of rubble, with 300 kilometers of water networks and 75% of the sewage network destroyed. The municipality must also deal with over 350,000 tons of waste.

The Gaza City Municipality reported that more than 85% of its heavy and medium machinery is destroyed, but efforts have begun to open some main streets, prioritizing water, sewage, and waste collection.

The situation remains critical, compounded by the humanitarian toll of the genocide. Reports indicate that the two-year war on Gaza has left at least 67,211 killed and 169,961 injured, mostly children and women, alongside a famine that has claimed the lives of 460 Palestinians, including 154 children. Nearly 10,000 Palestinians remained missing, mostly under the rubble of their destroyed homes.

US Forces Arrive to Oversee Ceasefire

In a related development, US forces have begun arriving in Israel to establish a coordination center to oversee the implementation of the ceasefire agreement, ABC News reported Saturday, citing US officials.

Approximately 200 US soldiers, specializing in logistics, planning, and engineering, will be deployed, working alongside representatives from other nations and NGOs, according to the report.

Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of the US Central Command, has been in Israel since Friday to finalize deployment arrangements. The US troops’ role will be limited to coordination and technical support, with no plans to enter the Gaza Strip. Military officials from Egypt, Qatar, and Turkiye, and possibly the UAE, are expected to be attached to the US force.

Israeli Detention of Palestinian Bodies

Against the backdrop of the ceasefire, the Palestinian National Campaign for the Recovery of Martyrs’ Bodies and Disclosure of the Fate of the Missing announced that Israel continues to detain the bodies of 735 Palestinians, including 67 children. Of these, 256 are held in “cemeteries of numbers” — simple graves marked only by a metal plate with a number. This practice is part of ongoing Israeli violations against the bodies of Palestinians, including desecration and theft of bodies from graves, Al-Mayadeen reported, citing the rights organization.

Latest Development

Even as the truce holds, a fatality was reported late Saturday morning, with the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital announcing the killing of an elderly man who was shot by the Israeli army in the town of Al-Qarara, northeast of Khan Yunis.

(PC, AJA, AL-Mayadeen, US Media)