GAZA CITY: Thousands of Palestinians have gathered in Gaza City for a mass funeral for 100 people, including around 60 children, whose remains were recovered from beneath the rubble of homes destroyed during the war.
The mourners, including relatives of the victims as well as community and political figures, gathered near the ruins of flattened residential buildings in the Zeitoun neighbourhood as the remains were laid out and draped in Palestinian flags.
Gaza holds mass funeral for 100 Palestinians recovered from rubble in Al-Zaytoun neighborhood, 70 of them children
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Gaza is holding a mass funeral for around 100 Palestinians whose remains were recently recovered from beneath the rubble of destroyed homes in Gaza City’s… https://t.co/rB9hFpBlRt pic.twitter.com/QYdI3fj4cL— The Cradle (@TheCradleMedia) September 6, 2026
After memorial addresses by Gaza Civil Defence personnel and community representatives, the remains were taken to Al-Ahli cemetery for burial.
The recovery has brought long-delayed farewells for families who had spent years without being able to retrieve or bury their loved ones.
Families Bid Farewell
Among those mourning was Mahmoud Murtaza, who said he lost his pregnant wife and three-year-old daughter when their home was destroyed.
“It is as though they were killed yesterday. Here they are before you, but you cannot embrace them or bid them farewell. All that remains are skulls and bones,” Murtaza told Anadolu Agency.
Local authorities said the victims belonged to the Rahim, Balawi, Malaka, Qanbour and Salmi families and were killed when Israeli air strikes destroyed several residential homes.
The funeral followed another large ceremony in August for 112 victims whose remains were recovered from the Sabra neighbourhood.
Thousands Remain Buried
The Civil Defence teams recovered the remains during the second phase of an operation launched on July 19 to locate thousands of Palestinians still believed to be buried beneath destroyed buildings across the enclave.
The latest phase covers 147 destroyed sites and is expected to continue for about 800 hours. Authorities estimate that the remains of another 1,072 people are still trapped beneath the rubble.
Rescue teams face major obstacles, including extensive destruction and a shortage of functioning heavy equipment.
Although the October 2025 ceasefire agreement stipulated that Israel would allow heavy machinery into Gaza to assist recovery operations, search teams have continued to work with deteriorating and inadequate equipment amid restrictions on the entry of essential machinery.
For families who have waited years to bury their dead, the operation has offered a painful final act of mourning, even as thousands of others remain without answers about the fate of their loved ones.
