Gaza’s civil defence workers demonstrate their joy after the announcement of the ceasefire [GETTY]
As Palestinian Civil Defence workers are returning to their homes following the Gaza ceasefire, they are being praised for their work during Israel’s 15-month war Gaza.
Since the start of Israel’s war in October 2023, the workers have been rescuing Palestinians on the ground while retrieving bodies from the rubble.
Often using their bare hands due to a lack of tools to remove the wreckage, they would spend hours finding and helping people attacked by Israeli forces.
Videos shared on X show the rescue workers celebrating after the deal was announced, prostrating in gratitude while praising God, and returning to their families after being absent for 15 months.
The personnel are being praised online for their “tireless work” saving thousands of civilians in Gaza and recovering the bodies of the deceased, with many videos showing the workers being carried for all of their hard work during Israel’s war.
“Tears of joy among Gaza’s Civil Defense teams, who have worked tirelessly over the last 470 days to save lives across the Palestinian territory,” one user said on X.
“Despite the israeli failure to abide by the ceasefire, heroic Civil Defense crews celebrate returning to their families after 15 months of absence,” another user said.
Their work has been praised before the ceasefire, and its workers have often shared their experience on social media, detailing the impact of Israeli attacks. The rescue group once spent five hours rescuing a child trapped under the rubble after an airstrike.
Almost 100 of Gaza’s Civil Defence workers have been killed since October 2023, with Israel warning the crews they would be targeted should they try to rescue people.
The Civil Defence has previously called on the international community to protect their crews as they had become a “clear target for the occupation’s military machine”.
In December 2024, Civil Defence worker Nabil Sukkar and his son Mohammad were killed after an Israeli airstrike targeted the Civil Defense workplace in the Al-Daraj neighbourhood in Gaza City. Its director, Ahmed Al-Kahlout, was also arrested in the same month.
A worker who had reportedly saved five children was killed in November 2024 after staying with an injured woman.
Colonel Abu Al-Abd Morsi, the defence’s deputy director, was killed at his home by an Israeli strike.
Mo’men Salmi, who was missing for 10 months, was killed after an Israeli strike targeted civilians in Nuseirat in September 2024.
