Gaza Holds Mass Funeral for 50 Palestinians

At least 50 Palestinians have been buried in Gaza City after their bodies were recovered from the rubble of buildings destroyed during the war.

The mass funeral was held on Thursday, August 20, 2026, following the recovery of the victims’ remains from areas including Tal al-Hawa, Zeitoun, Sabra, Sheikh Radwan and Shati. The victims belonged to several families, including the al-Sawafiri, al-Batniji and Gharbiya families.

Gaza’s Civil Defence estimates that about 8,000 Palestinians remain missing and are believed to be trapped beneath collapsed buildings. Search and rescue operations have been severely hampered by a lack of heavy machinery, with officials saying teams currently have only one excavator available.

Munir al-Bursh, director general of Gaza’s Ministry of Health, called for heavy equipment, search-and-recovery tools and forensic supplies to be allowed into Gaza to help recover and identify the victims.

The funeral came amid continued reports of violence despite a ceasefire agreement that took effect in October. According to Gaza health authorities, Israeli attacks have killed at least 1,266 Palestinians and injured around 4,200 since the agreement began.

The broader war has reportedly killed at least 73,400 Palestinians and injured more than 174,300, while much of Gaza’s infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed.

The funeral was also held a day after a Hamas delegation led by Khalil al-Hayya met Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in Doha to discuss developments in Gaza and efforts to end the conflict.

Qatar said the talks included discussions about a US-backed proposal involving Hamas disarmament, an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and an end to the war.

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