The bodies of over a dozen aid workers have been found in what the United Nations has described as a southern Gaza "mass grave" following a series of attacks by the Israeli military.
The workers belonged to different organizations, including the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) and civil defense. One was a UN agency employee, according to the PRCS.
A UN agency said the bodies were recovered after a "week-long rescue operation" that involved heavy machinery as both victims and vehicles they were riding in had been buried in the sand.
A UN agency detailed that a first team of workers were killed on March 23 and others shortly after as they reached the area and began looking for their colleagues.
Israeli forces, on their end, said they opened fire at "suspicious vehicles" that were advancing toward troops without previous coordination or use of signals. Officials added that they "eliminated" militants as a result and reiterated that terrorist organizations continue using civilian infrastructure for "terrorist purposes."
The incident comes as Israel and Hamas continue failing to renew the ceasefire, broken on March 18 as Israel resumed attacks on the enclave as it claimed there were no concrete steps toward the freeing of all remaining hostages.
Hamas said last week it had offered the release of five live hostages in exchange for a renewed ceasefire, but Israel said on Monday its counter-proposal involves an extended truce in exchange for about half of all remaining hostages believed to be alive. Concretely, 12 of the 24 living hostages and about half of the 35 presumed to be dead would be returned over between 40 and 50 days, said Israeli officials.
Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the military would continue putting military pressure on Hamas in the meantime. In fact, the military ordered the evacuation of most of Rafah on Monday, anticipating another major ground operation.
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