As part of ongoing efforts to document cases of loss and enforced disappearance in the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian Center for Missing and Enforced Disappeared Persons (PCMFD) documents the disappearance of the child Thaer Abdul Eman Al-Rifi, as a case suspected of arbitrary detention and enforced disappearance by Israeli occupation forces.
According to documented data, testimonies, and under direct authorization from the missing child’s family, Thaer Al-Rifi (born in Gaza on June 17, 2009, a 16-year-old child residing in the Al-Tuffah neighborhood of Gaza City – Al-Zarqa Street) went missing on June 5, 2025.
Incident Details and Circumstances of Disappearance
On Thursday, June 5, 2025, at approximately 8:00 AM, Thaer left his home riding a cart and headed toward the Al-Zaytoun area (Wadi Al-Arayis) to collect firewood as a means to earn a livelihood and provide for his family. On his way, several citizens warned him against proceeding due to the dangerous field situation and the presence of Israeli forces in the area; however, he was forced by necessity to continue.
From that moment onward, all news of Thaer ceased entirely, and his fate and location remain unknown. He was not seen or recorded anywhere thereafter, coinciding with the operational presence of Israeli military vehicles and forces in the area at the time.
Search Efforts, Follow-up, and Actions Taken
Following the incident, the family reported the case to the Ministry of Interior in Gaza to trace his whereabouts. However, difficult field conditions, a lack of access, and limited international reporting mechanisms prevented the family from taking additional steps with international organizations at the time.
Based on the legal authorization and direct consent provided by the family, the Palestinian Center for Missing and Enforced Disappeared Persons submitted an urgent official report to the United Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID), demanding urgent intervention and pressure on the occupation authorities to reveal the child’s fate and secure his evacuation or release.
The disappearance of the child Thaer Al-Rifi constitutes a grave violation of international humanitarian law rules and children’s rights in areas of armed conflict. It reflects a systematic policy of enforced disappearance against civilians and children in the Gaza Strip, necessitating decisive international action to reveal the truth and end the family’s suffering.
