Gaza search operations continue for thousands missing under rubble

Search and recovery operations in the Gaza Strip continue as thousands of people remain unaccounted for following military actions. Civil defense teams are working to retrieve remains from beneath the debris of destroyed homes, a task complicated by a severe shortage of heavy machinery and specialized equipment due to restrictions on bringing such tools into the territory.

In the Zeitoun neighborhood of Gaza City, recovery teams recently retrieved the remains of nine members of the Salmi family from a home targeted in November 2023. While nine bodies were recovered immediately after the initial attack, several others remained trapped under the rubble for nearly three years.

The scale of the missing is significant. Gaza’s Civil Defence agency estimates that over 8,000 people are missing. The Red Cross reports receiving more than 5,000 requests to trace missing individuals who may be buried under the destruction. While the Hamas-run health ministry reports over 73,000 deaths, officials note this figure may be lower than the actual toll because it does not include those still buried under rubble.