Gaza marked a somber moment on Tuesday as it conducted a mass funeral for 112 victims recovered from rubble nearly three years after an Israeli airstrike devastated a residential block in Gaza City.
The remains, including those of 40 children, were retrieved from the Sabra neighborhood, where the airstrike struck on November 22, 2023, during the early stages of the conflict between Israel and Hamas. Palestinian officials reported that the attack killed over 300 people, making it one of the deadliest single strikes in the war.
Initially, rescue efforts were hampered by limited resources, with only about 40 bodies recovered shortly after the attack. Many victims remained trapped under collapsed buildings until recent recovery operations led by Gaza’s Civil Defence managed to retrieve the additional remains.
During the funeral, the bodies were lined up wrapped in Palestinian flags, accompanied by photographs of the deceased. Hundreds of mourners gathered to pray and carry the remains through streets scarred by conflict to a nearby cemetery.
Relatives expressed a mix of grief and relief, with some describing the recovery as a painful but necessary closure after years of uncertainty. One relative, Taysir al-Hassayna, said the victims’ only crime was their resilience in their homes amid the conflict.
The ceasefire reached in October 2025 has allowed rescue teams to access previously inaccessible areas, but thousands remain missing beneath Gaza’s rubble. According to Gaza’s health ministry, the war has claimed over 73,000 Palestinian lives since October 2023, with the actual toll likely higher due to entire families being wiped out in some attacks.
The ongoing conflict has displaced most of Gaza’s two million residents, many of whom live in overcrowded shelters facing shortages of basic services and heightened health risks. Despite the ceasefire reducing large-scale fighting, tensions persist, with continued casualties reported by Gaza authorities and ongoing military operations by Israel aimed at armed groups.
