Gaza's Civil Defense Teams Continue to Dig for Missing Bodies Amidst Ongoing Israeli Genocide
In the aftermath of Israel's devastating assault on Gaza, thousands of Palestinians remain unaccounted for, with an estimated 10,000 bodies buried under the rubble. The Palestinian Civil Defense force has become the primary agency responsible for locating and recovering these deceased individuals.
For Nooh al-Shaghnobi, a veteran member of the Civil Defense team, this mission has become his life's work. Al-Shaghnobi, 24, has spent seven years working for Gaza's Civil Defense force, often eating and sleeping at their workplace. His family's home in western Gaza City was destroyed during the war, leaving them displaced.
Every day, al-Shaghnobi and his team venture into the rubble-strewn streets of Gaza, searching for signs of life amidst the devastation. They use simple tools like hammers, axes, and shovels to dig through collapsed buildings, often crawling under debris to reach trapped individuals. The work is grueling, with a single recovery process taking days without heavy equipment.
The Civil Defense teams rely on families of the deceased to provide information about their loved ones, including identifying locations based on blood stains, bones, and skulls. They also use personal belongings, such as rings, watches, or ID cards, to verify the identity of the deceased.
Al-Shaghnobi recalls one particularly harrowing mission in which his team found a young girl buried under several floors of rubble. As they carefully extracted her from the debris, she began to breathe dust and explosives, prompting the team to act swiftly to save her life.
Despite their bravery, the Civil Defense teams face significant challenges, including limited resources and a lack of heavy equipment. According to al-Shaghnobi, many areas remain inaccessible due to Israeli military presence, marking them as "yellow zones."
The psychological toll of this work cannot be overstated. Al-Shaghnobi has become numb to the trauma, often finding it difficult to touch the bodies he recovers. The smell of decomposition can render him motionless for days, and he struggles with digestive issues.
As the ceasefire continues, the Civil Defense teams receive constant calls from neighbors or families begging for help. It's a never-ending task that weighs heavily on their minds.
When asked what motivates them to continue this work, al-Shaghnobi replied, "When you hear a voice, you know there is life. That's enough to make you risk your life to recover this alive soul." For these individuals, the hope of finding even one more survivor drives them forward, despite the overwhelming odds against them.
Their selflessness is a testament to the resilience of the Palestinian people and their determination to rebuild amidst unimaginable destruction. As the world watches, it's essential to remember that behind every rubble-strewn building lies a story of loss, love, and survival.
In the aftermath of Israel's devastating assault on Gaza, thousands of Palestinians remain unaccounted for, with an estimated 10,000 bodies buried under the rubble. The Palestinian Civil Defense force has become the primary agency responsible for locating and recovering these deceased individuals.
For Nooh al-Shaghnobi, a veteran member of the Civil Defense team, this mission has become his life's work. Al-Shaghnobi, 24, has spent seven years working for Gaza's Civil Defense force, often eating and sleeping at their workplace. His family's home in western Gaza City was destroyed during the war, leaving them displaced.
Every day, al-Shaghnobi and his team venture into the rubble-strewn streets of Gaza, searching for signs of life amidst the devastation. They use simple tools like hammers, axes, and shovels to dig through collapsed buildings, often crawling under debris to reach trapped individuals. The work is grueling, with a single recovery process taking days without heavy equipment.
The Civil Defense teams rely on families of the deceased to provide information about their loved ones, including identifying locations based on blood stains, bones, and skulls. They also use personal belongings, such as rings, watches, or ID cards, to verify the identity of the deceased.
Al-Shaghnobi recalls one particularly harrowing mission in which his team found a young girl buried under several floors of rubble. As they carefully extracted her from the debris, she began to breathe dust and explosives, prompting the team to act swiftly to save her life.
Despite their bravery, the Civil Defense teams face significant challenges, including limited resources and a lack of heavy equipment. According to al-Shaghnobi, many areas remain inaccessible due to Israeli military presence, marking them as "yellow zones."
The psychological toll of this work cannot be overstated. Al-Shaghnobi has become numb to the trauma, often finding it difficult to touch the bodies he recovers. The smell of decomposition can render him motionless for days, and he struggles with digestive issues.
As the ceasefire continues, the Civil Defense teams receive constant calls from neighbors or families begging for help. It's a never-ending task that weighs heavily on their minds.
When asked what motivates them to continue this work, al-Shaghnobi replied, "When you hear a voice, you know there is life. That's enough to make you risk your life to recover this alive soul." For these individuals, the hope of finding even one more survivor drives them forward, despite the overwhelming odds against them.
Their selflessness is a testament to the resilience of the Palestinian people and their determination to rebuild amidst unimaginable destruction. As the world watches, it's essential to remember that behind every rubble-strewn building lies a story of loss, love, and survival.
you can't imagine how hard it must be for these civil defense teams in gaza to keep searching for bodies under all this rubble 
... 10,000+ people missing is just too much & they're still finding more bodies every day... 
I feel numb thinking about the psychological toll on them tho. They've got to deal with decomposing bodies & all that trauma on top of trying to survive themselves. No wonder al-Shaghnobi struggles to touch the bodies anymore 
These teams are literally risking their lives every day, searching for anyone who might still be alive... it's not just about finding bodies, it's about giving families closure & hope. We gotta keep supporting them in any way we can 
they dont get 2 rest until every1 is found & accounted 4 
its not easy 4 dem to deal w/ dis trauma n psychological toll 
its like their lives are being put on hold while we watch from afar 