The search for Gaza’s missing brings heartbreak and closure for loved ones

What Happened

On 16 November 2023, an Israeli air raid destroyed the three-storey Haji family home in the al-Zaitoun neighbourhood of Gaza City, killing more than 30 extended family members. Survivor Fidaa Haji and her four children returned after a ceasefire in October 2025 to find the ruins still containing unrecovered remains, causing severe psychological distress, especially among the children. On 1 July, family members manually retrieved six bodies despite a lack of heavy equipment. Gaza’s Civil Defence reports thousands of bodies remain trapped under rubble across Gaza, with recovery operations severely constrained by equipment shortages. The International Committee of the Red Cross provided limited excavator support under a 400-hour project, enough for only a small number of sites.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The story exposes the protracted humanitarian and psychological crisis in post‑ceasefire Gaza, where thousands of unrecovered bodies prolong community trauma and prevent closure. It highlights the intersection of infrastructure devastation, mental health challenges, and the insufficient capacity of local authorities and international aid to address the scale of loss, which has deep implications for societal healing and long‑term stability.

Watch For

Further recovery efforts and any expansion of international assistance for body retrieval; the psychological impact on children in the Haji family and similar households; potential legal or investigative actions regarding the specific air raid on the Haji home; broader reconstruction initiatives and the integration of mental health support into Gaza’s post‑conflict recovery.