Funeral held for 70 Palestinians recovered from northern Gaza rubble

London – Thousands of Palestinians gathered on Sunday for the funeral of approximately 70 individuals whose remains were recovered from buildings destroyed by Israeli strikes north of Gaza City, according to the Palestinian news agency WAFA. Recovery teams and residents retrieved the bodies in the Al-Saftawi area, despite severe shortages of equipment needed to clear the debris. So far, 60 of those interred have been identified.

WAFA reported that the remains of an estimated 8,000 people remain buried beneath rubble across the Gaza Strip, many since the early stages of Israel’s military offensive, which began on October 7, 2023, following a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel. Israel’s campaign has reduced entire residential blocks to rubble and killed at least 77,600 Palestinians, the majority of whom were women and children, according to the local health authority.

A ceasefire that took effect in October 2025 succeeded in reducing the intensity of fighting, but has not halted the loss of life. The Associated Press, citing Gaza’s health authority, reported that at least 1,600 Palestinians have been killed since the agreement took hold. Survivors continue to endure widespread damage to water, sewage, and waste-disposal systems, compounded by critical shortages of medicine, adequate shelter, and clean water. Recent flooding has further destroyed makeshift shelters, deteriorating conditions for displaced families.

The European Union warned on Saturday that ongoing military strikes and restrictions on the entry of shelter materials, medicine, and medical equipment are preventing acceptable living conditions in Gaza. The bloc urged Israel to reopen all crossings into the territory and allow unimpeded humanitarian access.

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