Gaza civil defense recovers remains of 28 Palestinians from house destroyed by Israel in 2023

GAZA CITY: The Gaza Civil Defense announced on Sunday that they have recovered the remains of 28 Palestinians from a house destroyed by Israeli forces in October 2023. The remains were discovered at the Abu Naama family's home in the Daraj district of Gaza City, according to Anadolu Ajansi. Family members informed Anadolu that Israeli warplanes had targeted the residence.

On Saturday, the Civil Defense disclosed the recovery of seven additional Palestinians from two homes: one belonging to the Nuwairi family in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, and the other to the Atallah family in Gaza City's Yarmouk area. These findings are part of the Civil Defense's second phase project, launched on July 19, aimed at retrieving remains from buildings destroyed during Israel's Gaza offensive.

The project, which encompasses sites in Gaza City, northern Gaza, and the Nuseirat refugee camp, estimates that 1,072 individuals may be buried beneath those structures. Teams have scheduled to inspect 147 houses across Gaza's northern and central governorates, working on 800 hours of excavation. However, the Civil Defense crews reveal that the progress is slow due to a lack of heavy machinery required to demolish the rubble.

Palestinian officials insist that the ceasefire agreement, effective since October 10, 2025, permits the entry of machinery to aid in debris removal and victim recovery. In the inaugural phase, which commenced in late November 2025, the Civil Defense retrieved the remains of 333 individuals. As of October 2025, Gaza's government media office estimated that approximately 9,500 Palestinians remain missing, including those believed to be under collapsed buildings and others with unknown locations.

The United Nations human rights office has also raised concerns about the ongoing distress caused by the prolonged wait to recover the remains of the victims.