‘We face a new ordeal’: Gaza’s search for the dead goes on

We face a new ordeal’: Gaza’s search for the dead goes on

We face a new ordeal – Over two years since the Israel-Hamas conflict began, the quest to locate missing persons in Gaza continues. With thousands of structures reduced to rubble by airstrikes, local teams and civil defense workers remain dedicated to clearing debris and uncovering remains of those believed to be buried beneath the wreckage of collapsed homes.

Challenges in Recovery

As time elapses and heavy machinery shortages persist, the search efforts have grown more challenging and intricate. Those involved in the mission shared with UN News that the process is now slower, requiring meticulous work to navigate hazardous conditions and identify victims.

In a Gaza City neighborhood, a machine still operates to remove rubble from a war-damaged house. Meanwhile, teams continue their laborious task of digging through debris, hoping to recover the bodies of those lost in the early days of the war.

Voices from the Frontlines

“This building was thought to hold the remains of 44 victims. So far, we’ve recovered only 13,” stated Asaad Shreim, a local team member. “The initial hours after the bombing allowed rescuers to retrieve more bodies, including my son, my uncle, and his wife,” he added.

Despite progress, the UN notes that delays in recovery are exacerbated by Israeli restrictions on heavy equipment and the presence of unexploded ordnance. These factors hinder the efficient removal of debris and complicate the search for survivors.

The Toll of Time

Ramez Nabhan watches the excavation, waiting to find his family’s remains. “I lost my wife and three children at the war’s start,” he said. “Missiles struck the building where we lived, and even then, the rescue teams couldn’t act quickly due to a lack of tools, fuel, and safe conditions.”

Now, with each exhumation, the emotional burden on families deepens. The absence of timely recovery has left many in prolonged grief, struggling to confirm the fate of their loved ones as decomposition and limited forensic resources make identification harder.

According to a joint assessment report from April 2026, the war has claimed over 71,000 Palestinian lives and injured more than 171,000 others. Thousands are still missing, their bodies potentially hidden beneath the ruins of Gaza’s shattered infrastructure and residential zones.

A Lingering Grief

“The pain of loss resurfaces with every exhumation,” said Nabhan. “We live between reliving the tragedy and completing the funeral rites. These are my children, and no words can capture the sorrow inside me.”

For countless families, the sorrow of losing loved ones is compounded by the arduous wait to recover and lay them to rest. The process of identifying victims, slowed by time and technical limitations, extends their anguish into the present day.