Rescue teams have begun working to retrieve a family trapped under rubble in Gaza City following an Israeli airstrike, after a family member earlier claimed that they were blocked from doing so by the IDF. The teams appear to be holding out little hope to still locate survivors.
Anas Arafat, a resident of Gaza, tells The Times of Israel that rescue teams reached his family this afternoon, nearly a day after he says they were buried beneath a building in the Tuffah neighborhood of Gaza City following an IDF strike.
Earlier, Arafat said that for many hours, family members were unable to reach the trapped victims due to being targeted by IDF drone fire.
According to Arafat, the rescuers lack heavy equipment needed to move the rubble. They have recovered the body of one woman, and it appears that the rest of the family — 13 people in total — did not survive, as no voices have been heard from under the rubble since yesterday.
The IDF has yet to issue a comment on the incident.
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From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, July 15, 2025
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