digger

As they worked their way forward, diggers passed out from lack of oxygen and had to be dragged back by their heels.

The ground floors of some buildings are propped up by scaffolding and appear on the verge of collapse and in some areas rubble is piled high as diggers continue the reconstruction work.

Low-loader lorries flying the Egyptian flag transported bulldozers and mechanical diggers into Gaza, accompanied by tipper trucks sounding their horns and flashing their lights, en route to an Egyptian aid committee based in Al Zawayda.

The Palestinian group accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of impeding its ability to search for hostages' remains by not allowing heavy machinery and diggers into Gaza.

"He's created a ramp so he can bring his digger down to the river and he's cut a 90m channel through my land," she said.