Palestine’s Gaza City Holds Mass Funeral for 112 People Killed in Israel's 2023 Sabra Attack

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By Gopal Ram Tripathi

THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE gathered in Gaza City on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, for one of the largest funerals held in the area since the war began. They came together to bury the remains of 112 people whose bodies had stayed trapped under rubble for almost three years. These victims belonged to the Abu Sharia and al-Hasayna families. Their homes were hit during an Israeli attack in the Sabra neighbourhood back in November 2023. Palestinian officials say that the attack alone killed 308 members of these two families, including 40 children, 30 women, and seven people with disabilities. Rescue teams were only recently able to pull the bodies out from under the destroyed buildings, which finally allowed families to hold proper funeral prayers and burials. Sadly, around 157 people from the same families are still missing. They are either still buried under the rubble or their whereabouts remain unknown.

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A Final Send-Off To The Ones Covered in The Palestinian Colors

Rows of coffins covered in Palestinian flags were carried through the streets of Gaza City as mourners gathered to say their final goodbyes. People held up large banners showing photos of the victims, along with messages calling for an end to Israel's war on Gaza, which started back in October 2023.

The Palestinian Civil Defence in Gaza called this funeral one of the biggest the territory has seen during the entire war. A spokesperson for the group said the day would be an extremely difficult and emotional one for everyone involved. He explained that the funeral showed just how much loss Palestinian families have suffered, and how long many of them had to wait before they could finally bury their loved ones.

The event brought a wave of sadness from researchers, activists, and human rights supporters. A leader from the Palestinian National Initiative said this could be the biggest funeral in the history of the Palestinian people. One researcher said Gaza was digging out its own children from beneath the wreckage after years of suffering, and asked how anyone's heart could bear such pain.

Other activists spoke about how families had searched through the rubble using only their bare hands, since there weren't enough machines or heavy equipment to help. One activist said the funeral turned simple numbers and statistics into real coffins and burial shrouds. Bloggers online said the funeral was more than just a burial ceremony — they described it as fresh proof of just how much damage and heartbreak the war has caused.

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The Palestinian Families Still Look For Their Relatives Who Went Missing

The head of the Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor said close to 200 more members of the Abu Sharia family are believed to still be buried under the rubble. Sadly, their remains may have already decomposed after so much time has passed. This funeral is a reminder that thousands of other Palestinian families are still waiting, hoping to one day recover the remains of their own missing relatives from across Gaza.

This burial took place even though a ceasefire agreement was signed in October. However, Israeli attacks have continued despite the agreement. As of Monday, these ongoing strikes have killed at least 1,250 Palestinians and injured another 4,110 people since the ceasefire began. Looking at the bigger picture, the war itself has killed at least 73,375 Palestinians and wounded around 174,220 more, with most of the victims being women and children. About 90 percent of Gaza's buildings and infrastructure have also been damaged or completely destroyed.

Because of all this, the Assembly of Palestinian Clans and Families has asked the Western-backed Board of Peace to speed up its work. They want more bodies recovered from the rubble, the debris cleared away, and support given to rebuild Gaza.

While burying these 112 victims may have finally brought some peace to their grieving families, it is far from the end of the story. Thousands of other families across Gaza are still waiting anxiously, hoping to one day find and bury their own missing loved ones. This funeral stands as a powerful reminder of just how deep the loss and suffering caused by the war truly runs, and how much work still remains to bring closure to the people of Gaza.

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