According to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), thousands of families across the Gaza Strip remain trapped in prolonged limbo due to open tracing requests for missing relatives. Ashjan Abdel Aal and her husband Rafaat continue an exhaustive search for their two sons, Othman and Sami, who disappeared after leaving their displaced family home in Gaza City on June 29, 2025, to seek aid near the Netzarim Corridor.
The Disappearance and the Search for Sourced Leads
Othman, who would now be 17, and Sami, 13, left their shelter to collect food and bring back items for their younger sister Emarat, according to their parents. Rafaat Abdel Aal was away near Zikim in northern Gaza at the time for the same reason. When Rafaat returned, he learned the boys had not come back. On August 1, 2025, the United Nations reported that at least 1,373 Palestinians had been killed while seeking food since late May of that year, with 859 near aid distribution sites and 514 along food convoy routes.
Rafaat searched hospitals, displacement shelters, and relatives’ homes without success. Weeks later, conflicting reports emerged. A Shujayea resident reported seeing four bodies near the family’s old home, but identification was impossible. Shortly after, a relative shared a photograph of an unidentified body at al-Ahli Arab Hospital. Rafaat initially believed it was Othman with 90 percent certainty, but upon visiting the hospital, discovered it was not his son, according to his account.
Institutional Obstacles and the Role of the ICRC
Tracing missing persons in Gaza involves severe logistical hurdles, according to Pat Griffiths, spokesperson for the ICRC in Jerusalem. The ICRC manages thousands of open tracing requests, a figure that fluctuates daily as cases open and close. However, the organisation has not accessed Israeli places of detention since the war began in October 2023, despite ongoing dialogue, which prevents staff from confirming detentions directly.
The absence of official channels leaves families vulnerable to unverified information. In May, Rafaat received a phone call from his wife’s brother relaying a claim from a lawyer inside the 1948 areas that the boys were alive in Ofer and Naqab prisons. The family could not re-establish contact with the lawyer, and Al Jazeera was unable to reach the working numbers provided.
Data and Documentation Challenges in Gaza
Gaza’s Government Media Office estimates that approximately 11,200 people remain missing across the territory, including individuals trapped under rubble and those with unknown whereabouts. Nada Abu Aita, director of the Palestinian Centre for Missing and Forcibly Disappeared Persons, highlights the multiplicity of sources as a primary documentation challenge.
Abu Aita notes that the centre frequently receives reports from families contacted by individuals claiming to represent organisations or working as lawyers. Upon review, the centre discovered that some institutions did not exist and names appeared fabricated. Families often choose to believe these misleading reports to hold onto hope, driven by the absence of comprehensive official detainee lists.
Did you know?
According to the ICRC, tracing missing persons involves collecting detailed disappearance circumstances from families, though forensic identification of remains and lack of detention access often delay confirmation for months or years.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many people are currently missing in the Gaza Strip?
Gaza’s Government Media Office estimates that roughly 11,200 people are missing, which encompasses individuals trapped beneath rubble and those whose current whereabouts remain unknown.
Why can’t the International Committee of the Red Cross confirm detentions?
According to ICRC spokesperson Pat Griffiths, the organisation has lacked access to Israeli places of detention since October 2023, making direct confirmation of detained individuals impossible.
What challenges do families face when searching for missing relatives?
Families face severe psychological distress, conflicting reports from unofficial sources, difficulties in accessing areas behind military demarcation lines, and a lack of comprehensive official lists of detainees, according to humanitarian workers.
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