Israel continues to deny entry of heavy machinery to remove rubble from Gaza, says official

Israel has only allowed six small machines to remove rubble from the Gaza Strip while preventing the entry of hundreds more that are desperately needed for the coastal enclave devastated by Israeli forces during their genocidal war against Palestinians, an official said on Wednesday.

Ismail Thawabteh, director of the Gaza government's Media Office, told Anadolu that Israel allowed only six small machines into Gaza, some of which required maintenance and spare parts to function.

"The Gaza Strip needs 500 heavy equipment units, including bulldozers, excavators, cranes, and others," he added.

Thawabteh stressed that Gaza is experiencing "a suffocating humanitarian crisis due to the lack of the equipment and heavy machinery needed for the rubble removal, opening the roads, and recovering thousands of corpses."

He noted that Israel's decision to allow only six machines reflects its "state of ignorance regarding the humanitarian crisis in Gaza."

On Tuesday, the Hamas group said it is working with the Qatari and Egyptian mediators to compel Israel to adhere to its commitments under the ceasefire agreement.

The Gaza ceasefire and prisoner swap agreement took effect on Jan. 19, suspending Israel's genocidal war, which has killed nearly 48,300 Palestinians and left the enclave in ruins.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar