‘I wanted to hug whatever remained’: Gaza families’ 3-year wait for funeral

Thousands gathered in Gaza City for a mass funeral of 112 members of the Abu Shreia and al-Hassaina families. Their remains were recently recovered from rubble nearly three years after an Israeli air attack on November 22, 2023, which destroyed their family compound. The attack killed 14 members of Lara Abu Shreia's immediate family, including her mother and eight siblings. Recovery operations by Palestinian Civil Defence teams were difficult due to the scale of destruction and lack of equipment. Civil Defence spokesperson Mahmoud Basal stated that this was the largest mass funeral in Gaza since the start of the 2023 war. An estimated 8,000 bodies remain beneath destroyed buildings in Gaza.

Palestinians held a mass funeral in Gaza City on Tuesday for 112 bodies recently recovered from the rubble of a 2023 Israeli airstrike. The strike, which occurred on November 22, 2023, flattened a residential block in the Sabra neighborhood, killing over 300 people. While about 40 bodies were recovered shortly after the attack, the majority remained buried. First responders recovered the 112 remains, including 40 children, over the weekend. A fragile ceasefire has allowed for the recovery of bodies from earlier in the war. Approximately 157 bodies are still unaccounted for from this particular strike.

A mass funeral was held in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza, for 112 victims, including 40 children, killed in a 2023 Israeli strike. Their remains were recovered more than two years later by Gaza's civil defense from a destroyed residential block in Gaza City. The recovery was delayed due to ongoing Israeli strikes, which have continued despite a ceasefire. The victims were among over 300 killed in the November 22, 2023, attack. Civil defense estimates that 157 people remain missing from that strike, and thousands of remains are believed to be buried under rubble across Gaza.

Following a US-brokered agreement announced on July 30 for Hamas disarmament, Israeli strikes in Gaza intensified, killing dozens of Palestinians. Hamas stated it would not implement the deal without Israel halting attacks and withdrawing troops, while Israel insisted on full disarmament before withdrawal. Within days of the announcement, at least 19 Palestinians were killed in a single day, and the weekend death toll reached 26. These attacks occurred in residential buildings and on tents sheltering displaced people, resulting in civilian casualties, including families and children. A strike also destroyed a medicine warehouse attached to Al-Aqsa Hospital. July was the deadliest month in Gaza this year, with 152 killed. In the occupied West Bank, July was also the deadliest month for Palestinians in settler attacks since October 2023.

The US-led Board of Peace, represented by director Nickolay Mladenov, has stated that an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza will only occur after Hamas completes its disarmament. This clarification followed a meeting between Mladenov and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in West Jerusalem, amidst tensions surrounding a Gaza disarmament roadmap and recent Israeli attacks. The Board emphasized that the decommissioning of all weapons, including light and heavy arms and tunnels, must be finalized before Israeli forces move beyond the "Yellow Line." Hamas, however, insists the deal will not be implemented unless Israel fulfills its obligations. Mladenov reportedly urged Netanyahu to cease attacks on Gaza, a request Israel has refused, continuing military actions despite a ceasefire agreement.

US President Donald Trump's "Board of Peace" assured Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Israel's withdrawal from Gaza is contingent upon Hamas' complete disarmament. This assurance followed objections from Netanyahu, whose security cabinet members had advocated for rejecting the deal. Netanyahu's office had expressed concerns to the United States after Trump previously described an agreement for Hamas to surrender weapons to a Palestinian governing committee as a "major milestone." The Board of Peace's initial text had proposed a phased withdrawal by Israel, prompting the security cabinet's push to abandon the plan.

A Board of Peace official, Nikolay Mladenov, met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem to discuss a new disarmament deal with Hamas. The agreement, announced by President Donald Trump, aims for the complete decommissioning of weapons in Gaza and a transition to civilian governance. Mladenov also urged Netanyahu to halt Israeli strikes in Gaza, as the Board of Peace pushes for the implementation of the disarmament plan. Israel had previously expressed "serious security concerns" regarding the agreement and had increased strikes in Gaza, resulting in civilian casualties. The article notes that no airstrikes were recorded in Gaza on the day of the meeting.

Israel is intensifying its military operations in Gaza, leading to significant Palestinian casualties, which threatens the US-backed peace plan. Despite Hamas accepting a phased ceasefire and disarmament roadmap, Israel has imposed stringent conditions, including the total disarmament of Hamas and the handover of weapons to a third party, while resisting Palestinian involvement in the process. Israeli officials cite "serious security concerns" and demand complete demilitarization before withdrawal. Experts suggest this hardline stance is partly driven by upcoming Israeli elections, with the government seeking to obstruct progress on the roadmap through continued military action and deliberate ambiguity. This escalation exacerbates the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and undermines diplomatic efforts for stability.

Overnight Israeli strikes on Gaza killed at least eight people, hitting residential buildings in Gaza City, Khan Younis, and Deir el-Balah, according to Palestinian officials. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated they were targeting military operatives, reporting the deaths of two Hamas militants, including commanders from elite forces. These strikes occurred on the second consecutive night and followed Hamas's acceptance of a disarmament plan involving the handover of weapons to a US President's Board of Peace. Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen indicated no deal was in place to halt attacks and suggested Israel might need full control of Gaza if Hamas did not disarm, despite the Board of Peace plan for Israeli withdrawal.

Israeli forces conducted strikes across the Gaza Strip, killing at least eight Palestinians, including a man and woman in a helicopter strike and others in Khan Younis and Gaza City. These attacks occurred two days after the US unveiled a 15-point plan for Hamas disarmament and Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, intended to implement a previous ceasefire agreement. The plan has not yet been put into action, with Hamas stating it will only disarm after Israel halts operations and withdraws, while an Israeli official insists disarmament must precede withdrawal. Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has publicly opposed the initiative, advocating for continued targeting of Hamas leaders. Talks are ongoing with Washington, with the success of the agreement reportedly dependent on Israel ending its daily strikes.

Israel has expressed "serious security concerns" to the White House regarding the proposed Hamas disarmament deal, according to an Israeli official. Israel's intelligence assessment indicates Hamas is focused on rebuilding its military rather than demilitarizing, and the Israeli military will not withdraw from Gaza until Hamas disarms. The official stated that redeployment before disarmament would allow Hamas to re-establish its infrastructure and threaten Israel. Hamas has agreed to disarm as part of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire, but the process faces significant obstacles. The deal, announced by U.S. President Donald Trump, outlines a phased approach involving Hamas surrendering weapons, Israeli withdrawal, a new Palestinian government, and international forces. Israel's concerns are reportedly based on intelligence suggesting Hamas continues to rearm.

Hamas has announced its acceptance of a disarmament plan for Gaza, which includes laying down its arms and an Israeli troop withdrawal. This development, described by US President Donald Trump as a significant step towards peace, is based on a 15-point US-led roadmap and a four-page document seen by the BBC. The plan outlines a phased disarmament process for Hamas and other Palestinian factions, overseen by the Palestinian National Committee and an International Stabilisation Force, with heavy weapons to be stored securely. This disarmament is conditional on Israel fulfilling its commitments under an initial ceasefire agreement. Israel, however, remains skeptical of Hamas's willingness to disarm and insists on no withdrawal until Hamas lays down its weapons. The plan also addresses the future of civil servants employed by Hamas's former government.

Hamas has reportedly reached an agreement to disarm, a significant development that could potentially end the war in Gaza. This agreement is part of a broader road map that requires concessions from Israel, including ending hostilities and withdrawing its troops. The deal, announced by U.S. President Donald Trump, outlines a phased approach where disarmament would be followed by an Israeli withdrawal and the deployment of an International Stabilization Force. However, the implementation faces considerable challenges, as disarmament is a core aspect of Hamas's identity and has been a major sticking point in previous negotiations. Israel has not officially commented but has previously expressed skepticism about Hamas's willingness to disarm. The agreement's guarantors include the U.S., Turkey, Egypt, and Qatar.