In Gaza City, members of the Al-Drimli family are tirelessly searching for the remains of their neighbor amidst the debris of their demolished home. Armed with basic tools like shovels, buckets, and a wheelbarrow, they toil under the scorching sun, their heads shielded by orange towels and sweatshirt hoods. The clatter of shovels against rubble and the hum of an electric saw fill the air as they painstakingly clear the wreckage of a six-story residential building struck by an airstrike in November 2023.
Having already recovered the remains of their own family members, the Al-Drimli family now seeks to locate the missing neighbor who was seeking refuge with them during the attack. According to the Gaza Health Ministry, an estimated 8,000 to 10,000 bodies are still buried under the rubble nearly three years after the conflict between Israel and Hamas began.
Due to the scarcity of excavators in Gaza, many Palestinians, like the Al-Drimli family, rely on manual labor due to the high costs and limited availability of equipment. Speaking to CBC News, Ayman Al-Drimli highlighted the challenges faced by the lack of heavy machinery, with only a few operable excavators in the region. These machines are difficult to maintain due to shortages of spare parts, oil, and fuel, exacerbated by the damage sustained during the conflict.
Samir Sabra and his son, Uday Sabra, operate two of the few remaining excavators in Gaza. Samir emphasized the financial strain of running the equipment, citing the high cost of oil as a major hurdle. Despite the overwhelming demand for their services, they struggle to keep up due to maintenance issues and equipment shortages.
In response to the limited availability of heavy machinery, Uday Sabra, alongside the Palestinian Civil Defence, continues the grim task of searching for remains in the rubble. However, the lack of equipment poses a significant challenge in addressing the massive scale of destruction and the urgent need for recovery efforts.
Mahmoud Basal, a spokesperson for the Palestinian Civil Defence, explained that excavators were deliberately targeted during the conflict, further exacerbating the shortage of essential machinery. Despite ceasefire agreements aimed at facilitating access to heavy equipment for clearing rubble, little progress has been made on the ground, prolonging the painstaking process of recovering bodies trapped beneath the debris.
The ongoing restrictions on fuel, oil, and spare parts imposed by Israel have impeded humanitarian efforts to maintain critical machinery essential for recovery operations. International organizations have called for urgent action to address these challenges and expedite the recovery process in Gaza.
In the face of these obstacles, Uday Sabra remains committed to his relentless search for the remains of the deceased, determined to provide them with a semblance of peace amidst the chaos and devastation in Gaza City.