Full Breakdown
Gaza Civil Defence Retrieves Remains from Destroyed Homes
By Drooid · · How we work
Ongoing Recovery of Victims in Gaza
Gaza’s civil defence announced that it has recovered the remains of 28 Palestinians from the rubble of the Abu Naama family home in the Daraj neighbourhood of Gaza City. The house was destroyed by Israeli strikes in October 2023. The agency also reported the recovery of seven additional remains from two other destroyed homes: one belonging to the Nuwairi family in the Nuseirat refugee camp and another belonging to the Atallah family in the Yarmouk area of Gaza City.
Phase Two of the Retrieval Project
The recoveries are part of the second phase of the civil defence’s systematic effort to locate people buried beneath buildings demolished during the conflict. This phase began on July 19 and targets sites in Gaza City, northern Gaza, and the Nuseirat refugee camp. The civil defence estimates that as many as 1,072 individuals may still be trapped beneath the debris of these structures.
Scope and Resources
According to the civil defence, teams intend to search 147 houses across Gaza’s northern and central governorates. The projected workload for this phase totals roughly 800 working hours. The agency’s plan reflects a coordinated attempt to address the large-scale loss of life resulting from the October 2023 bombardments.
Challenges Facing the Recovery Efforts
Civil-defence crews say progress is slow because they lack the heavy equipment required to clear dense rubble efficiently. The shortage of machinery hampers the ability to reach deeper layers of debris where many remains are believed to be located.
Anticipated Impact
Officials hope that completing the second phase will provide families with closure and improve the humanitarian record of the ongoing response. The civil defence emphasizes that the systematic retrieval of remains is a critical component of post-conflict recovery, even as resource constraints continue to limit the speed of operations.