The search for loved ones in Gaza

After more than two years of war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, the destruction there is overwhelming. According to the United Nations, most buildings there have been damaged or destroyed, and many bodies remain buried under rubble. Crews have begun efforts to recover those remains, including victims from one of the war's deadliest Israeli attacks, which occurred in late 2024. NPR investigated that attack, on an apartment building in Gaza, and mapped a family tree of 132 relatives killed there. The Israeli military said, after the strike, it had been targeting “an enemy spotter,” but it did not provide any evidence. Survivors waited more than a year before being able to recover some of the bodies of their loved ones. NPR’s reporter in Gaza, Anas Baba, witnessed the recovery efforts.

Warning: This story includes graphic descriptions of military strikes and their aftermath.

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