Thousands of Palestinians buried under rubble in Gaza 'may never be identified', says Red Cross

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) warned that thousands of Palestinians buried under rubble in Gaza may never be identified due to slow recovery efforts, a large volume of unretrieved bodies, and decomposition that erases forensic identifying evidence including fingerprints, dental records, and personal belongings, amid 61.5 million tonnes of conflict-generated debris across the territory where three-quarters of buildings have been destroyed.

The inability to identify victims prevents families from confirming the fate of missing loved ones, obstructs accurate documentation of conflict casualties, and hinders accountability for potential violations of international humanitarian law.