Gaza mass burials and large funerals after Israeli airstrikes

In the Gaza Strip, 112 bodies that were buried under rubble from Israeli army bombings in November 2023 were recovered, including 44 children. The recovery effort lasted 17 days and was supported by two pieces of equipment provided by the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Red Crescent. Large collective funerals were held, described by Ahmet Abu Saria, a relative of victims, as among the biggest ever in the Strip and as a "funeral of the Palestinian people."

Political‑protection officials, such as Mahmud Basal, estimate that more than 8,000 victims remain buried under the debris. Humanitarian groups complain that Israel, which controls the entry points, has not allowed sufficient machinery and materials for further exhumations. Despite a cease‑fire declared in October 2025, aerial strikes and artillery fire continue to hit Gaza almost daily. The Hamas‑run health ministry reports that at least 1,252 Palestinians have been killed since 10 October 2025.