Fadwa al Ghalban holds a cellphone showing a photo of her son, Mosaab, at her tent in Muwasi, along Gaza’s southern coast, Oct. 3, 2025
HoldingĀ photographsĀ ofĀ theirĀ sonsĀ whoĀ vanishedĀ duringĀ theĀ war,Ā mothersĀ inĀ GazaĀ waitĀ forĀ answers.
Thousands of people are still missing across the territory, with many lost beneath the rubble of destroyed buildings. Familiesā last hope is often that their relative has been detained by Israeli authorities.
Every now and then, whenever a prisoner was released, we would ask, ‘Did you see my son? Did you hear his name?’,” says Reem Amin Youssef Fayad, whose son is missing.
Some said they had heard his name but had not seen him. Others said they had seen him. Between those who said they saw him and those who only heard his name, we remain in limbo.”
Jumanah Manaa’s son Amro Manaa is also missing:
When I see someone come out safely and their family welcome and embrace them, tears flow from my eyes. I sit and cry and say, ‘God, may the day come when he returns and we experience the same joy they are experiencing.āā
Identification
RecoveringĀ theĀ bodiesĀ ofĀ thoseĀ trappedĀ underĀ theĀ rubbleĀ isĀ hamperedĀ byĀ IsraeliĀ restrictionsĀ onĀ bringingĀ heavyĀ equipmentĀ intoĀ GazaĀ andĀ byĀ theĀ risksĀ posedĀ byĀ unexplodedĀ ordnance.
As time passes, it also becomes increasingly difficult to identify the victims.
Ziyad Ashour is head of the Medical Evidence Section in the Forensic Medicine Department at Al-Shifa Hospital:
This year, our situation has begun to stabilise, and we have started making significant efforts to trace unidentified people. However, in the Gaza Strip, unfortunately, we do not have DNA testing, which is the main method used around the world for identification. Clothing is not enough, and personal belongings found with the bodies are not enough, because we receive many bodies as cadaver.ā
AndĀ theĀ killingĀ doesnātĀ endĀ despiteĀ aĀ ceasefireĀ stillĀ inĀ placeĀ betweenĀ IsraelĀ andĀ theĀ PalestinianĀ militantĀ groupĀ Hamas.Ā OnĀ Thursday,Ā GazaĀ authoritiesĀ saidĀ fourĀ peopleĀ diedĀ inĀ IsraelĀ strikesĀ onĀ theĀ territory,Ā includingĀ twoĀ children.Ā
Since the ceasefire took effect in October, more than 1,200 people have been killed in Gaza.Ā
HamasĀ isĀ reportedlyĀ holdingĀ talksĀ withĀ internationalĀ mediatorsĀ inĀ CairoĀ aimedĀ atĀ consolidatingĀ theĀ truce.
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