Gaza - July 12, 2024

Storyline:
Gaza City's Shuja'iya neighborhood saw large-scale destruction following 12 days of intensive bombardment by Israeli forces, filling residents with grave levels of desperation.

With continued Israeli military developments targeting its main neighborhoods, the Israeli Defense Forces say a senior Hamas commander has been killed in a recent airstrike on Gaza City. After Israeli forces redeployed from Shuja'iya, locals came back to assess the damage, but many found it difficult to identify their homes due to the total ruin.

Residents say large-scale intelligence activities had been taking place in Shuja'iya, leading to more destruction in that area. According to the Palestinian residents, the Israeli occupation forces also invaded a local cemetery, trying to find any clue about the Israeli captives by unearthing the bodies for DNA tests, which the locals condemned as "blatant desecration of the sanctity of the bodies".

The Civil Defence Agency in Gaza says at least 60 bodies have been found after Israeli forces withdrew from a two-week ground offensive on Friday. In Shuja'iya, not only did the attacks seriously damage buildings and infrastructure, but also a greater sense of instability, insecurity and vulnerability among the locals.

Shotlist:
Gaza Strip - July 12, 2024:
1. Various of buildings in ruins, people walking through rubble, digging in rubble;
2. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Abo Yosef, displaced Palestinian:
"The situation is difficult, and I don't know what to do. All we can do is pray. We either live or die. Death and life have become equal in my view, and once a human feels like this, life will no longer matter to him."
3. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Hamdi, displaced Palestinian (no full-name given/partially overlaid with shot 4):
"They tell us to evacuate towards the south, but we will not. We have interests here, homes, and a life for us and our people on this land, which we will not leave. If it interests or benefits us, we will go there, and if not, we will not go. That is not our land, it is not our home, and we do not know anyone there. I will remain here. There is no need to go there. This is my home and my residence. I was born here, I live here, and I will die here."
[SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE]
4. Ground, rubble;
[SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE]
5. Various of building ruins, people walking.

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