The Palestinian Center for the Missing and Forcibly Disappeared expressed grave concern over the growing risks of more civilians going missing amid Israel’s ongoing military offensive, relentless bombardment, and mass evacuation orders.
In a statement, the Center said Israeli forces have been carrying out intense operations across Gaza’s southern, eastern, and northern neighborhoods for nearly six weeks, peaking in recent days with widespread evacuation orders, airstrikes on high-rise buildings, and the detonation of explosive-laden vehicles inside residential areas — all of which worsen the plight of the missing.
Families have reported losing contact with loved ones who refused to flee due to lack of alternatives, the Center added, noting that communication blackouts and continued bombardment have made it impossible to locate or reach them.
According to the Center, the crisis of the missing has been building over the past two years as Israeli incursions and raids led to mass arrests, enforced disappearances, and the killing of civilians whose bodies were left under rubble, buried in mass graves, or transferred to undisclosed locations.
The Center warned that ongoing evacuation orders are forcing thousands of families to flee in haste, leaving behind relatives trapped under debris or missing without a trace, as search and rescue operations remain nearly impossible under constant airstrikes.
Civil defense teams, it said, face severe challenges due to fuel shortages and lack of equipment, preventing them from reaching hundreds of bombed sites — increasing the likelihood that many victims remain under the rubble without help.
The Palestinian Center for the Missing and Forcibly Disappeared urged the United Nations, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and the international community to act immediately to allow rescue teams access to affected areas and to pressure Israel to halt forced evacuation orders that endanger civilians and fuel the disappearance crisis.
It warned that continued international silence would lead to a compounded humanitarian disaster — not only through the loss of lives but also by leaving tens of thousands of Palestinian families in agonizing uncertainty over the fate of their loved ones.
