The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) warns that the risk is rising that thousands of Palestinians buried beneath rubble in Gaza may never be identified. The ICRC says recovery efforts remain slow and many victims have not yet been retrieved, meaning bodies can reach more advanced stages of decomposition over time, including being skeletonised, before forensic teams are able to recover remains. The ICRC also says that delays reduce the availability of identifying evidence used to confirm identities, such as fingerprints, dental records and personal belongings. It adds that environmental factors, including humidity and animal activity, can further damage or erase forensic clues.
Reporting cites Gaza’s large scale of destruction, with the territory covered by tens of millions of tonnes of debris, and notes that recovery operations have been constrained by limited access to heavy machinery. Rescue teams are described as relying on basic tools rather than excavators and other equipment, and repeated requests to allow such equipment into Gaza have reportedly been denied. The ICRC says search and recovery teams need access to all sites where remains are believed to be located.
