In Gaza City, members of the Al-Drimli family are diligently searching for the remains of a neighbor amidst the debris of their former residence. Equipped with shovels, buckets, and a wheelbarrow, they work under the scorching sun, their heads shielded with orange towels or sweatshirt hoods. The sounds of shovels hitting rubble and the hum of an electric saw resonate in the air as they labor to clear the remnants of a six-story building struck by an airstrike in November 2023.
Having already retrieved the remains of their own loved ones, the Al-Drimli family now seeks closure for their neighbor who was present during the building’s destruction. The Gaza Health Ministry estimates that thousands of bodies remain buried under the rubble nearly three years after the conflict between Israel and Hamas began.
With a scarcity of excavators in Gaza, many Palestinians resort to manual labor due to the high cost and limited availability of machinery. Ayman Al-Drimli explained to CBC News that they rely on hand tools as heavy equipment is expensive and hard to come by in the current circumstances.
According to officials and equipment operators in Gaza, there are only a few operational excavators in the region, which are challenging to maintain due to frequent strikes during the conflict and shortages of essential resources like oil and spare parts.
Samir Sabra, along with his son Uday, operates two of the few remaining excavators in Gaza. The high cost of running the machinery, especially for fuel, poses a significant financial burden. They struggle to keep up with the demand for their services due to the limited availability of equipment.
Despite ceasefire agreements and promises of increased access to heavy machinery, the situation on the ground remains unchanged. Mahmoud Basal, spokesperson for the Palestinian Civil Defence, highlighted the deliberate targeting of excavators during the conflict, prolonging the process of recovery and reconstruction.
Border restrictions imposed by Israeli authorities on fuel, oil, and spare parts hinder humanitarian efforts in maintaining essential machinery in Gaza. The United Nations and Civil Defence have urged the international community to facilitate the entry of equipment into the region to expedite recovery efforts.
Despite the challenges, Uday Sabra continues his relentless search for remains, emphasizing the urgency of the situation and the need to provide closure to the families of the deceased.