Title: Witnesses Share Gruesome Horrors of Israel-Hamas Conflict
As the deadly conflict between Israel and Hamas fighters in the Gaza Strip rages on, countless lives have been lost and communities left devastated in its wake. Volunteers on the ground, involved in the arduous task of collecting bodies and witnessing the aftermath firsthand, have recently shared their harrowing testimonials.
Yossi Landau, a dedicated Zaka volunteer, has become all too familiar with the sound of sirens as Israelis seek refuge from incoming rocket fire. However, it was a shocking realization for him when he understood that these launches were mere distractions, concealing the main thrust of Hamas militants invading Israel’s borders. As estimated by the AFP, this invasion led to the death of approximately 1,200 individuals.
Yossi Landau, who has dedicated 33 years to volunteering for Zaka, an organization entrusted with recovering the bodies of those who suffered unnatural deaths, revealed the heart-wrenching scenes he encountered in his work. In the vicinity of Sderot, a town near the border, where several residents lost their lives, Landau witnessed vehicles overturned and lifeless bodies strewn across the streets.
Recalling one particular incident, Landau shared the emotional toll it took on him and his team. A journey that should have taken 15 minutes stretched to an arduous 11 hours, as they stopped to collect and respectfully place each victim in a bag. The weight of the situation became overwhelming when they entered the first home and discovered a deceased woman with her abdomen brutally torn open. A newborn, still connected by the umbilical cord, lay nearby, also lifeless and stabbed.
Landau expressed the horrors he witnessed, emphasizing that multiple civilians, including approximately 20 children, had been bound with their hands tied behind their backs before being shot and set ablaze. Disturbingly, he added that they also came across victims who appeared to have been sexually abused.
In response to the brutal Hamas assault, Israel has so far launched around 6,000 bombs on Gaza, according to military sources. Tragically, these strikes have resulted in the deaths of 1,417 Gaza residents, as reported by health officials in the Palestinian territory.
Despite being confronted with such widespread violence and suffering, Landau confessed that he currently feels numb. He explained that the essential coping mechanism for himself and his colleagues is to separate their emotions from their obligations in order to effectively perform their duties.
