Gaza Buries Remains of Palestinians Recovered from Destroyed Homes
The funeral procession began outside Daraj Sports Club before proceeding to Sheikh Radwan Cemetery, where the remains were laid to rest.
Wrapped in Palestinian flags, the remains had been placed at the site on Saturday evening, giving relatives an opportunity to pay their final respects.
The remains were retrieved over several weeks from multiple destroyed houses in the Daraj neighborhood in northeastern Gaza City, according to Gaza Civil Defense officials. The homes were reportedly bombed while their occupants were inside during the initial months of the war.
The victims belonged to approximately 20 Palestinian families, including people who had sought refuge in the targeted buildings after being displaced from their homes.
Recovery operations remain severely hampered by shortages of equipment and heavy machinery, making it difficult for rescue teams to search through the extensive rubble and retrieve the bodies of those still missing.
The latest efforts form part of the second phase of a Civil Defense initiative to recover Palestinians buried beneath destroyed buildings. The phase began on July 19 and covers 147 damaged homes across Gaza City and the northern and central parts of the enclave, where approximately 1,072 bodies were believed to remain trapped.
The first phase, launched in November 2025, resulted in the recovery of 333 bodies and human remains from among 559 people believed to be buried beneath 54 destroyed homes and buildings. Limited resources prevented rescue teams from reaching an estimated 226 others.
Civil Defense spokesman Mahmoud Basal said on Oct. 7 that more than 8,000 missing Palestinians were still believed to be buried under the rubble. He warned that, given the resources currently available, recovering their remains could take approximately eight years.
Under the first phase of a ceasefire agreement that took effect in Gaza on Oct. 10, 2025, Israel was expected to permit heavy equipment and machinery to enter the territory. Palestinian authorities and factions have accused Israel of failing to fulfill this and other commitments under the agreement.
The recovery efforts are taking place amid the extensive destruction caused by the war that began in October 2023. Palestinian figures indicate that more than 74,000 people have been killed and over 175,000 injured, while approximately 90% of Gaza’s civilian infrastructure has been destroyed.
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