Palestinian bodies buried in mass grave

Palestinians in Khan Younis held a mass burial after Israel returned 80 bodies it had previously taken from various graves and locations across the strip, Gaza's Health Ministry said.

The bodies, which were buried in the Turkish Cemetery in southwest Khan Younis, marks the third such transfer of remains by Israel to the international committee of the Red Cross amid its ongoing military operation.

Israeli air strikes have made major cemeteries in Gaza dangerous to reach, so mourning families are burying their dead in informal graveyards dug in empty lots amid an intensifying siege.

Israel has killed over 39,000 people in Gaza and reduced much of the small enclave to rubble since Hamas attacked the country on Oct. 7, according to local health authorities.

With hospital morgues also filled with the bodies constantly arriving from bomb sites, families must find other places to bury their dead.

The destruction of grave sites comes as Palestinians face shortages of food, fuel, water, medicine and functioning hospitals. Mediators from Qatar, the U.S. and Egypt have failed to secure a ceasefire, so the death toll is expected to keep rising.

But for now, Palestinians have to deal with the ruins and remains on their own, as members of the Khan Younis Civil Defence zip body bags on the ground and carry them onto trucks.

Meanwhile The World Health Organization delivered 32 tons of medical supplies to Lebanon's health ministry, including at least 1,000 trauma kits to treat possible war wounded.

Lebanon received emergency medical supplies to equip its hospitals for possible war injuries, amid fears a full-scale conflict was on the horizon.

Tensions in the region have spiraled in the last week following the killing in Tehran of Palestinian militant group Hamas' head, and an Israeli strike on Beirut's suburbs that killed a top commander in Lebanon's armed group Hezbollah.