Red Cross warns that the identities of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza may never be identified
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The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has warned that thousands of Palestinians under the rubble in Gaza may never be identified due to advanced decomposition and the sheer volume of destruction. After two years of Israel's genocide targeting the besieged population, UN data reveals that three-quarters of the enclave's buildings have been destroyed, leaving behind a staggering 61.5 million tons of debris. This apocalyptic wasteland is 20 times greater than the total rubble generated by all Israeli aggressions in Gaza since 2008.
Recovery efforts for the estimated 8,000 bodies still trapped beneath the ruins remain severely crippled. Despite a ceasefire being in place since December, the Israeli occupation continues to block the entry of excavators and heavy machinery. Rescue teams and Civil Defense personnel are forced to clear mountains of concrete using only their bare hands, shovels, and basic tools, while families accuse Israeli military bulldozers of intentionally displacing bodies to erase evidence of war crimes.
The systematic denial of equipment means vital identifying evidence like fingerprints, dental records, and personal belongings is rapidly being lost to time and environmental decay. There are thousands of Palestinians in Gaza who are still missing, and their families remain in limbo, unsure if their loved ones are alive, dead, or trapped within the interrogation chambers of the Israeli prison system.