In Gaza City, a large crowd gathered to mourn 112 Palestinians, predominantly women and children, who died in an Israeli airstrike on a residential building in late 2023 during the early stages of the Gaza conflict.
The victims, belonging to two extended families—the Abu Sharia and Hassayna clans—were only recently recovered after a painstaking two-week excavation of the rubble. The funeral, reportedly the largest of its kind in Gaza, saw rows of bodies draped with Palestinian flags and some accompanied by photographs, as relatives carried the deceased for burial.
Details of the Attack and Recovery Efforts
- The airstrike occurred on November 22, 2023, in the Sabra neighborhood, killing 40 children, 38 women, and seven people with disabilities from the two families.
- This attack took place amid intense bombardment six weeks after the October 7 Hamas-led assault on southern Israel.
- Recovery operations were led by Gaza's Civil Defence under the Hamas-run interior ministry, with support from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which provided equipment, training, and excavation machinery.
- Relatives were present to assist recovery teams in identifying and retrieving the bodies.
Impact and Ongoing Challenges
The Civil Defence spokesman noted that approximately 180 civilians were inside the building at the time, with an estimated 90% killed. Access to the site was initially restricted due to safety concerns and the need for coordination with Israel through intermediaries like the ICRC.
Family members expressed profound grief and frustration over the loss of loved ones, highlighting the innocence of the victims and the devastating impact of the strike.
It is believed that numerous bodies remain buried under the rubble at the site, and thousands more people remain unaccounted for across Gaza, many presumed trapped beneath debris from ongoing airstrikes.
