The Gaza Civil Defense forces continue to dig for what they estimate are around 10,000 missing bodies trapped under the rubble of Israeli airstrikes, more than two years after the last ceasefire. For Nooh al-Shaghnobi, a 24-year-old civil defense worker, the task is emotionally draining, with each new discovery bringing back memories of his own family's trauma.
On September 17, near the al-Saha area of eastern Gaza City, Israeli forces bombed a home, killing over 30 members of one extended family. Al-Shaghnobi and his team pulled two dead young girls from the rubble but continued digging, crawling under collapsed floors to uncover more bodies. According to al-Shaghnobi, they often identify locations of martyrs based on blood stains, bones, and skulls, relying on families of the victims for information.
The civil defense forces have an estimated 900 personnel, but after two years of conflict, their operating capacity has dropped by 90%. Without heavy equipment like excavators, recovery operations can take days. Families often wait nearby when teams bring out bodies, displaying intense grief and emotional turmoil.
For many on the Gaza Civil Defense team, death is a constant presence, not an event. They've started to feel it as if it's surrounding them, making them accept Allah's plan but still holding onto life inside themselves. Their work has become all-consuming, with some living at their workplace due to the danger of being near Israeli military presence.
In one mission, 25-year-old Alaa Khammash and his team rescued a young woman buried beneath several floors in a bombed tower. When she saw them, hope came back to her face, motivating Khammash to keep going. However, for others like al-Shaghnobi, it's harder to maintain that drive after experiencing years of trauma.
For Nooh al-Shaghnobi and his team, the task is not just about retrieving bodies but also about honoring and burying loved ones in accordance with Islamic traditions. The teams write detailed papers describing their findings so families can potentially identify the bodies later. When asked why they risk their lives to recover souls, al-Shaghnobi replied that hearing a voice tells him there's life.
On September 17, near the al-Saha area of eastern Gaza City, Israeli forces bombed a home, killing over 30 members of one extended family. Al-Shaghnobi and his team pulled two dead young girls from the rubble but continued digging, crawling under collapsed floors to uncover more bodies. According to al-Shaghnobi, they often identify locations of martyrs based on blood stains, bones, and skulls, relying on families of the victims for information.
The civil defense forces have an estimated 900 personnel, but after two years of conflict, their operating capacity has dropped by 90%. Without heavy equipment like excavators, recovery operations can take days. Families often wait nearby when teams bring out bodies, displaying intense grief and emotional turmoil.
For many on the Gaza Civil Defense team, death is a constant presence, not an event. They've started to feel it as if it's surrounding them, making them accept Allah's plan but still holding onto life inside themselves. Their work has become all-consuming, with some living at their workplace due to the danger of being near Israeli military presence.
In one mission, 25-year-old Alaa Khammash and his team rescued a young woman buried beneath several floors in a bombed tower. When she saw them, hope came back to her face, motivating Khammash to keep going. However, for others like al-Shaghnobi, it's harder to maintain that drive after experiencing years of trauma.
For Nooh al-Shaghnobi and his team, the task is not just about retrieving bodies but also about honoring and burying loved ones in accordance with Islamic traditions. The teams write detailed papers describing their findings so families can potentially identify the bodies later. When asked why they risk their lives to recover souls, al-Shaghnobi replied that hearing a voice tells him there's life.
. 10,000+ bodies trapped under rubble is insane... it feels like a never-ending nightmare. The fact that they're doing this for over two years already and their operating capacity has dropped by 90% is heartbreaking 
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. It's like they're living in a constant state of grief, waiting for each new discovery to bring back memories they thought were buried 
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... i think we need to raise awareness about what these civil defense forces are going through 
it's not just about finding bodies, but also about honoring their loved ones and dealing with the trauma that comes with it. i've seen some of the work they do, and it's like they're working in a war zone 
even when they find someone alive, like alaa khammash did, it's still so hard for them to keep going after what they've seen 
I cant even imagine how hard it must be for these ppl... 
every time they dig up somethin, its like bringin back memories of their familiys losin lives 
but at the same time, its heartbreakin to think about how many bodies still havnt been found 
10k+ people under the rubble... its a never-endin task 
. The thought of 10,000+ bodies under the ground is just mind-boggling. I mean, can you even imagine how emotionally draining it must be for 'em? 
. I wish we could all just... I don't know, be more understanding, I guess? 
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. the fact that these ppl are still out there digging for bodies with no proper equipment is just heartbreaking 
I mean, what even is the point of all these airstrikes? Like, we get it, some people are being super bad, but do we really need to dig up 10,000+ bodies just to prove that? 
10,000+ missing bodies is just insane, can't even imagine how emotionally draining that must be for these ppl 
we need to come together as a global community to support these heroes & bring peace to the region ASAP 
. And can you imagine waiting nearby for hours, watching as they bring out the bodies of your loved ones? The emotional toll on these workers must be immense 
. It's heartbreaking to think about how they're trying to hold onto life while also accepting the loss of so many loved ones 
... I mean, 10,000 missing bodies? That's crazy talk! And the fact that these civil defense workers are digging around for two years already, it's like they're searching for something specific. What if it's not just bodies? What if it's... I don't know, secrets or evidence of some kind?