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Israeli forces have withdrawn from the Nussirat refugee camp area in central Gaza after days of deadly military operations, according to the Civil Defense Directorate in the besieged area.

Geolocated videos show widespread destruction in the area, with several apartment blocks destroyed or seriously damaged.

The directorate said its teams had succeeded in extracting several bodies from under the debris, but heavy excavation equipment would be required to extract others.

Civil defense spokesman Mahmoud Bassal told CNN the situation was “tragic”.

“There has been widespread destruction, including to residential buildings and infrastructure.”

Bassal estimated that about 500 people were killed, injured, detained or missing in the military operation. CNN cannot confirm the estimate and has contacted the Israeli military regarding the scope and purpose of its operations in Nussirat.

Nussirat Mayor Iyad Maghari said that a week of Israeli attacks on the area had resulted in “residents being deprived of the most basic human services such as water, sanitation and waste collection.”

Maghari said about 25,000 square meters of roads, water wells and water pumping generators had been destroyed.

He said that due to shortage of fuel and destruction of municipal vehicles, about 20,000 tonnes of garbage has accumulated on the roads and around shelter sites, creating a vermin problem.

The sewage system was severely damaged and more than 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) of pipes were destroyed, he said.

“Nusirat Municipality is suffering from an acute shortage of diesel, which is needed to operate water wells as well as waste water treatment plants,” Maghari said.