Escaped BABOONS seen roaming around Gaza ruins after zoo ‘destroyed in airstrikes’ as IDF forced to round them up

A GROUP of baboons was seen roaming the destroyed streets of Gaza after the local zoo was reportedly destroyed in Israeli airstrikes.

The three monkeys were some of the few lucky animals to survive the blitz in Gaza as many were killed in explosions or starved to death.

Under the auspices of the truce, an IDF veterinarian was dispatched to capture these poor animals, columnist Nadav Eyal tweeted.

He wrote: "Together with the brigade in the field, he succeeded and they were tranquillised.

"The trio is set to be transferred to treatment and returned to Gaza at the end of the war."

Heartbreaking footage showed what is left of the Gaza Zoo after keepers were forced to abandon it when the war began in October.

The zoo, part of the Al-Bisan recreational park in Jabalya, was hit multiple times during airstrikes.

Once home to around 100 species, it has now been reduced to rubble.

Last week's truce allowed staff to return, but it was too late to save most animals as they were caught in the crossfire.

Yahya Al Sarraj, head of Gaza Municipality, claims at least two appeals to rescue the animals were made to the international community, including the UN and the Red Cross.

"Unfortunately, the Israeli forces didn't allow us to reach the place," he told .

Rifaat Al Arair explained how "90 per cent of the animals died" as a result, with corpses of rare foxes, baboons, hyenas, and wolves still lying on their cages.

A lion was a few of the lucky creatures to survive the blitzing of Gaza, but the animal reportedly hasn't had anything to eat in over a month.

A lonely wolf was also seen clearly distressed as it ran back and forth nonstop inside its pen.