Palestinian zoo workers and members of the international animal welfare charity "Four Paws" transport cages containing animals at a zoo in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. Photo by Ismael Mohamad/ UPI | License Photo

A member of the international animal welfare charity "Four Paws" checks on a sedated fox at a zoo in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. Photo by Ismael Mohamad/ UPI | License Photo

Palestinian workers carries a monkey at a zoo in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. Photo by Ismael Mohamad/ UPI | License Photo

Members of the international animal welfare charity "Four Paws" check on a sedated a monkey at a zoo in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip. Photo by Ismael Mohamad/ UPI | License Photo

A sedated lion lies in a cage at the Gaza zoo, as technicians prepare to evacuate the animals out of the Palestinian enclave and relocate to sanctuaries in Jordan. Photo by Ismael Mohamad/ UPI | License Photo

A Palestinian worker carries a Heron at a zoo in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, during the evacuation by members of the international animal welfare charity "Four Paws." Photo by Ismael Mohamad/ UPI | License Photo

April 7 (UPI) -- Volunteers from an international welfare group rescued nearly 50 animals from a zoo on the Gaza strip on Sunday.

Four Paws International wrote on Facebook Sunday that its volunteers were able to successfully get 47 animals including birds, lions, foxes and monkeys were rescued from the zoo in Rafah and transported to be resettled in Jordan.


"Yes! The cages are empty!" the group wrote. "Now they are ready for the trip to their new home."

The group said the animals in the zoo had been mistreated by the owner, noting that a male and female lion and their cubs were kept under "horrific conditions" and that four of the cubs died in January.

Four Paws added that dozens of other animals live in "barren cages, while dead animals have been stuffed and propped up to attack villagers" and that animals have been killed and maimed by military attacks.

Mission leader Amir Jhalil and his team decided to rescue the animals from the so-called "Zoo of Sorrows" after a lull in military escalations and border closures in the area.