A mass funeral was held in Gaza for 112 Palestinians, including members of two extended families, who were killed in an Israeli strike in November 2023. The recovery of their remains from under rubble in Gaza City was a painstaking process carried out by the Civil Defence, which operates under the Hamas-run interior ministry.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) provided support for the recovery efforts, including essential equipment like gloves, shovels, protective gear, and body bags. The organization also offered training to ensure the work was conducted safely and with dignity for the deceased. Additionally, the ICRC supported the rental of excavators, vital for sifting through the extensive debris.
"It's not an answer any family wants to receive - confirmation that your loved one has been killed," said Patrick Griffiths, a spokesperson for the ICRC. "But it's essential towards them receiving closure and being able to mourn their loss in their own way."
Survivors and relatives of the victims were present at the site, guiding recovery crews and sharing their grief. Nahed al-Hassayna, whose family home was destroyed, showed the rubble where his family lived, holding up personal belongings of his young relatives, including a school backpack and a shoe. "The kids – what did they do?" he asked. "Why? Why were they killed?"
Yousef Abu Sharia described himself as the sole survivor of his family, having lost his mother, father, uncle, and cousins under the rubble. "Today, I'm talking to you [as] the one who lost my mother, my father, my uncle and my cousins and all my family. I lost them under this rubble."
Civil Defence spokesman Mohammed Basel had previously stated that the multi-storey building where many of the victims were located had been leveled, with around 90% of the estimated 180 civilians inside killed. He noted that Civil Defence crews were initially unable to reach the site on the day of the strike due to coordination requirements and the dangers involved.
Dozens more bodies are believed to remain unrecovered at the site. Thousands of people across the Gaza Strip remain unaccounted for, with many of their remains thought to be buried under the rubble from intense Israeli air strikes during the conflict. The recovered remains were draped with Palestinian flags and photographs at the funeral service.