First thing after the ceasefire? Find the dead, say Gaza’s Palestinians by Maha Hussaini

Amid relentless Israeli bombardment and the military’s obstruction of search and rescue efforts, thousands of Palestinians across the devastated Gaza Strip have been reported missing since 7 October 2023.

According to the United Nations and human rights organisations, an estimated 10,000 to 11,000 Palestinians are missing, most presumed dead under the rubble.

This has left thousands of parents, spouses, and children unable to confirm the fate of their loved ones, trapped in a limbo they believe can only end once a ceasefire is reached and search teams are permitted to operate.

But even those who have managed to bury their loved ones remain constantly worried, as intense Israeli attacks on cemeteries leave families in constant fear that graves may be desecrated or destroyed.