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Gaza families bury bodies of loved ones trapped for years under rubble
Families in northern Gaza are burying relatives whose remains were trapped beneath collapsed homes for years, after Civil Defence teams recovered them from the rubble. The funerals bring an end to prolonged uncertainty, while also reopening grief for relatives who had waited to retrieve and properly bury their loved ones.
In recent days, teams recovered 69 Palestinians from sites in Jabalia refugee camp and Beit Lahiya. Mahmoud Nabhan buried 17 family members, including seven children and grandchildren, killed in an attack in October 2023; Fatima al-Masri’s husband and 18-year-old son, killed in 2024, were also recovered. Gaza’s Civil Defence estimates more than 8,000 bodies remain to be recovered, while the number of missing Palestinians exceeds 10,000 and includes people whose whereabouts are unknown for several reasons.
In short
- Civil Defence teams recovered 69 remains in northern Gaza.
- Families are finally able to bury relatives trapped beneath rubble.
- More than 8,000 bodies are still awaiting recovery across Gaza.
Explained simply
Gaza is a Palestinian territory on the Mediterranean coast, where Israel and Hamas have fought repeated wars. The war that began in October 2023 caused widespread destruction, including in northern areas such as Jabalia and Beit Lahiya, where many homes were damaged or collapsed.
Gaza’s Civil Defence teams carry out rescue and recovery work, including searching damaged buildings for people. When bodies cannot be reached, families may be left without confirmation of what happened or a place to bury their relatives.
The missing include people believed to be under rubble, as well as people whose whereabouts are unknown for other reasons. Recovering remains allows families to hold funerals, while underscoring the scale of destruction and the continuing difficulty of accounting for everyone who has disappeared.