75 Bodies Recovered From Gaza Rubble Receive Mass Funeral After Three Years
Reporting based primarily on newarab.com.
Palestinians held a mass funeral in Gaza City on Sunday for the bodies of 75 people killed by Israeli strikes and recovered from under rubble after three years, as civil defence teams continue to face severe equipment shortages that leave around 8,000 more remains unrecovered. [1]
Mass Funeral for Recovered Bodies
The mass funeral was held in Gaza City inside the al-Daraj Sports Stadium, with prayers offered for the deceased before the bodies were carried to the Sheikh Radwan Cemetery in northern Gaza. [1] The funeral was organised by the Martyrs’ Families’ Association in coordination with the General Directorate of the Civil Defence. [1] Kamal Hijazi, whose loved ones were among those killed, told The New Arab that being able to hold a funeral was somewhat a relief. [1] “The rubble formed a barrier between us and giving the dead a proper farewell, in a way that was dignified and befitting of them. The Israeli occupation does not recognise the dignity of Palestinians, whether they are dead or alive- but we will not allow the rubble to be the grave of our martyrs,” he said. [1] One attendee, Najat Abdel Aaal, stated that 10 of her family members were among those recovered, noting that most of them were women and children. [1] She explained that during the time of the bombing when they were killed, she screamed and cried out for help. [1] “But at the time, crews were only able to pull out a few people from under the rubble, and the bodies of my family and relatives were buried for three years,” she said. [1] “Retrieving the bodies after three years has reopened the wounds we all feel. It has brought up a mixture of relief and pain, but families have finally been able to bid farewell to their loved ones and lay them to rest,” she added. [1]
Recovery Efforts and Equipment Shortages
Civil defence crews recovered the 75 bodies despite lacking heavy machinery and specialised tools. [1] Civil defence spokesman Mahmoud Basal confirmed that around 8,000 Palestinians remain buried under the rubble, with teams unable to recover their remains due to a lack of resources. [1] “Civil defence teams are working under extremely difficult conditions without heavy machinery to remove the rubble burying the bodies. Children, women and the elderly are dying, and no one is able to retrieve their bodies from under the rubble, all while the world, human rights groups, all while Arab and Western countries stand by and watch without lifting a finger,” he said. [1] The lack of equipment has raised concerns that without forensic surveys, any efforts to recover bodies could result in the crushing or scattering of remains. [1]
Palestinians attend a mass funeral for 75 bodies recovered from Gaza rubble after three years. — Source: anadolu
Ceasefire Violations and Blocked Aid
Despite a ceasefire agreed in October 2025, with the terms demanding that aid deliveries are made daily, Israel has obstructed scores of items from entering the enclave, including heavy machinery and specialised tools used to find and recover the dead from beneath the rubble. [1] According to human rights group Gisha, Israel continues to define thousands of critical emergency humanitarian items as “dual use” and blocks them from entering the enclave. [1] The listed items, ranging from construction materials to wheelchairs, sleeping bags, and portable toilets, have hindered the reconstruction of Gaza. [1] A report from Euro-Med Human Rights Monitors states there is approximately 68 million tonnes of rubble across the Gaza Strip. [1]
Scale of Destruction and Casualties
Israel’s war on Gaza, which commenced in October 2023, has killed over 74,000 Palestinians and has been determined to be a genocide by leading international rights groups and scholars. [1] The war has levelled entire neighbourhoods, devastated the healthcare system, and destroyed many civilian buildings, including residential blocks, places of worship and schools. [1] The war has levelled neighbourhoods and destroyed civilian infrastructure. [2] Palestine has urged action in related incidents involving international figures. [3]
Calls for Documentation and Justice
He also called on the relevant authorities in Gaza to preserve and document the data of those killed and recovered in the hopes that “there will be justice in Gaza”. [1] “We will not ask anything of the international community, as we have no confidence in it,” he continued. [1]
International Inaction Highlighted by Spokesman
Civil defence spokesman Mahmoud Basal stated that children, women and the elderly continue to lie under rubble while the international community does not intervene. [1] Families described the recovery as bringing a mixture of relief and reopened pain after three years under rubble; one attendee lost 10 relatives, mostly women and children. [1] Israel continues to block thousands of items classified as “dual use,” including construction materials and emergency equipment. [1]
What to watch next: Civil defence teams continue working under extremely difficult conditions without heavy machinery to remove the rubble burying the bodies, with around 8,000 Palestinians remaining unrecovered. [1]
