GAZA, October 18, 2026 (WAFA) — Large crowds of Palestinians in Gaza City on Sunday morning attended the funerals of 75 Palestinians whose remains were recovered from beneath the rubble of destroyed buildings in the al-Daraj neighborhood.

According to medical sources, around 8,000 bodies are still believed to be buried beneath the rubble of destroyed buildings across the Gaza Strip, as recovery teams lack the heavy machinery and equipment needed to retrieve them.

The Palestinian Ministry of Justice’s national team for following up on missing persons reported in October that more than 10,000 people have been missing in Gaza since October 2023, with more than 8,000 believed to remain beneath the rubble. The figures are estimates compiled from different sources and do not constitute a consolidated count.

Recovery operations remain severely hampered by the lack of heavy machinery and forensic equipment. Many bodies and human remains have had to be recovered by hand, leaving families waiting for news of missing relatives and the opportunity to bury them with dignity.

The scale of destruction across Gaza has left vast quantities of rubble covering residential areas, while restrictions and shortages affecting essential equipment continue to impede search-and-recovery efforts.

M.N