Gaza – The Palestinian Center for the Missing and Forcibly Disappeared expressed deep concern over the ongoing Israeli obstruction of the entry of necessary equipment to retrieve the bodies of thousands of victims trapped under the rubble of buildings destroyed by Israel in the Gaza Strip.
The center called on international institutions to assume their legal and humanitarian responsibilities and to pressure Israel to allow the immediate and unconditional entry of this equipment.
It pointed out that, in a blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, Israel unilaterally closed the crossings on March 2, 2025, and prevented the entry of aid. This effectively eliminates any hope of bringing in heavy machinery necessary to remove the rubble, open streets, and clear collapsing buildings that threaten the lives of residents.
According to the center, for 42 days, Israel only allowed the entry of 9 limited-efficiency bulldozers, despite the ceasefire agreement including an understanding to bring in 100 pieces of heavy machinery. Estimates suggest that Gaza needs at least 500 such machines. Furthermore, institutions, companies, and business owners have not been allowed to purchase or rent them from abroad, deepening the existing humanitarian crisis.
The human rights center noted that Palestinian civil defense teams, despite their limited resources, managed to retrieve the bodies of approximately 750 martyrs. However, preliminary estimates suggest that more than 8,000 others remain trapped under the rubble, and their families are waiting to retrieve and bury them with dignity.
The center emphasized that the continued prevention of the entry of necessary equipment not only keeps thousands of Palestinian families in a state of pain and waiting but also prevents the accurate identification of the missing and forcibly disappeared, hindering the resolution of the bodies issue.
Therefore, the center called for urgent international intervention to pressure Israel to ensure the immediate and unconditional entry of equipment necessary to retrieve the victims and remove the rubble.
It also stressed the need to send international teams specialized in search and rescue, equipped with modern tools, to support the efforts to retrieve victims. Additionally, it called for the entry of technical teams and forensic and criminal examination experts into Gaza to assist in identifying the victims and determining the fate of the missing.
The center held the Israeli occupying state fully responsible for its intransigence and violation of international law by preventing the entry of equipment and technical teams, which exacerbates the humanitarian crisis.
In conclusion, the Palestinian center reiterated that the issue of the missing persons in the Gaza Strip—whether they are trapped under the rubble, have an unknown fate, or are forcibly disappeared—represents a major humanitarian tragedy that must be prioritized by the international community.
