Gaza's Rubble: A Grim Task Ahead as Thousands Lie Buried Under Debris
The devastating aftermath of the latest Gaza conflict has left a trail of destruction and death in its wake. Amidst the rubble, thousands of Palestinians lie buried, their bodies trapped beneath a mountain of debris that stretches over 61 million tonnes – 20 times more than the combined mass of all debris generated by conflicts since 2008.
The task ahead is nothing short of monumental. Gaza's ministry of health and civil defence estimate that around 10,000 people are still buried in the rubble, with some experts believing the number could be as high as 14,000. The scale of the operation is staggering, with rescue teams facing a daunting challenge in reaching those trapped beneath the debris.
For weeks, families have been searching for their missing relatives, queuing daily at hospitals and offices to seek information about loved ones who are still unaccounted for. The pain and suffering of these families is palpable, with many knowing that their relatives were killed but unable to determine where their bodies lie.
The recovery efforts so far have been limited to small houses and apartment blocks, where rescuers can reach the bodies using rudimentary tools such as shovels and pickaxes. However, more sophisticated equipment – including excavators and bulldozers – has been denied to Gaza by Israel, forcing rescue teams to rely on manual labor.
The lack of heavy machinery is having a devastating impact on the recovery efforts. Dr Mohammed al-Mughir, director of humanitarian support and international cooperation at the civil defence, highlighted the issue: "We have seen the equipment that was brought in to retrieve the bodies of Israeli hostages. We also need the same equipment to retrieve our bodies."
The civil defence is working tirelessly to clear the rubble, but the task is being made even more difficult by the presence of hazardous debris such as unexploded ordnance and asbestos. The United Nations has warned that the risk of accidents increases as people begin to return to their homes, with over 147 incidents related to ordnance in rubble already logged.
The UNMAS programme chief, Luke Irving, warned: "If there has been heavy fighting in an area, they're going to find explosive ordnance." The question on everyone's mind is what will happen next – and whether the Gaza Strip can ever return to normal life.
As the situation continues to unfold, one thing is clear: the recovery of thousands of bodies from the rubble of Gaza will be a grim and ongoing task.
The devastating aftermath of the latest Gaza conflict has left a trail of destruction and death in its wake. Amidst the rubble, thousands of Palestinians lie buried, their bodies trapped beneath a mountain of debris that stretches over 61 million tonnes – 20 times more than the combined mass of all debris generated by conflicts since 2008.
The task ahead is nothing short of monumental. Gaza's ministry of health and civil defence estimate that around 10,000 people are still buried in the rubble, with some experts believing the number could be as high as 14,000. The scale of the operation is staggering, with rescue teams facing a daunting challenge in reaching those trapped beneath the debris.
For weeks, families have been searching for their missing relatives, queuing daily at hospitals and offices to seek information about loved ones who are still unaccounted for. The pain and suffering of these families is palpable, with many knowing that their relatives were killed but unable to determine where their bodies lie.
The recovery efforts so far have been limited to small houses and apartment blocks, where rescuers can reach the bodies using rudimentary tools such as shovels and pickaxes. However, more sophisticated equipment – including excavators and bulldozers – has been denied to Gaza by Israel, forcing rescue teams to rely on manual labor.
The lack of heavy machinery is having a devastating impact on the recovery efforts. Dr Mohammed al-Mughir, director of humanitarian support and international cooperation at the civil defence, highlighted the issue: "We have seen the equipment that was brought in to retrieve the bodies of Israeli hostages. We also need the same equipment to retrieve our bodies."
The civil defence is working tirelessly to clear the rubble, but the task is being made even more difficult by the presence of hazardous debris such as unexploded ordnance and asbestos. The United Nations has warned that the risk of accidents increases as people begin to return to their homes, with over 147 incidents related to ordnance in rubble already logged.
The UNMAS programme chief, Luke Irving, warned: "If there has been heavy fighting in an area, they're going to find explosive ordnance." The question on everyone's mind is what will happen next – and whether the Gaza Strip can ever return to normal life.
As the situation continues to unfold, one thing is clear: the recovery of thousands of bodies from the rubble of Gaza will be a grim and ongoing task.
their pain is so real u can literally feel it through the news vids I had dinner with my friend last nite who has family in gaza and she was literally crying like 2 hrs ago about her cousin who went missing during the conflict idk how much more of this we can take it feels like the world is just watching from afar and not doing enough 
we need to do better for these people 
. I remember back in my day, we had our share of conflicts and tragedies, but this... this is on a whole different level.
. The equipment from Israel, like, why can't it be used for their own people? It's just so... so unfair 
. And those hazardous materials, unexploded ordnance and asbestos... it's a ticking time bomb, literally 
.
. But at the end of the day, what can they do? The scale of this tragedy is just so... so vast 
. I wish they could get some more help, but I guess that's just the way it goes sometimes 
. I hope the UN can do something about it, but seriously, can you imagine being in those families' shoes, searching for your loved ones day after day? It's just heartbreaking 
and what really gets me is that the UN has warned about the dangers of ordnance but still, no action is being taken 
i hope they can get this situation sorted out soon, for the sake of those families who are still waiting to know what happened to their loved ones 
- 61 million tonnes of debris, 10,000+ people still trapped! It's like trying to find a needle in a gigantic haystack 
. The fact that Israel is withholding heavy machinery from the rescue efforts is just mind-boggling 
. We need to see more action from the UN and other organizations to support the people of Gaza in this devastating crisis 
.
.
It's like they're trying to make the recovery process as hard as possible. And don't even get me started on the unexploded ordnance - that's just a recipe for disaster 
. The UN should really step in here and provide some much-needed assistance 
. This whole situation is just a mess 
.