Gaza teams recover remains of 55 people nearly 3 years after Israeli strike

What the report says

Gaza civil defence teams have recovered the remains of 55 Palestinians from the ruins of a residential building in Gaza City, according to Al Jazeera’s reporting, nearly three years after an Israeli air strike destroyed the site. The victims were all from the Malka family, and rescue crews said they had been buried beneath their family home in the Zeitoun neighbourhood. The recovery operation ended on Saturday after several days of searching by hand and with limited equipment.

Al Jazeera reported that the building was struck on November 19, 2023, after the family had already been displaced from their own homes and were sheltering there. A rescue official said teams had been looking for more than 60 family members, highlighting how difficult it remains to retrieve the dead in Gaza amid severe damage and a shortage of heavy machinery. The United Nations Satellite Centre has said most buildings in Gaza have been damaged or destroyed during the war, and aid agencies estimate thousands of people may still be missing under debris.

The recovered remains are expected to be buried in a joint funeral procession next weekend, according to the report. The recovery also comes as Gaza health authorities say bodies and injured people continue to arrive at hospitals, while some remain trapped where ambulance and civil defence crews cannot reach them. The wider context is a territory still coping with mass displacement, extensive destruction and continuing violence.