As a fragile ceasefire takes hold in Gaza, families have begun returning to what remains of their neighborhoods, many with the painful mission of recovering the bodies of loved ones still buried beneath collapsed buildings.

Among them is Ghali Khadr, who spent two days trying to convince his parents to evacuate to southern Gaza. His father refused, unwilling to leave the family home. Days later, an Israeli airstrike destroyed the building, killing Khadr's parents. 

On Sunday, Khadr returned to the site of the airstrike in Jabaliya to search the debris for any trace of his mother and father. After hours of digging through shattered concrete and twisted rebar, he found only fragments of their remains.

"My father, a retired ambulance driver, was known for his strong will and patience. He did not know fear and was always optimistic," Khadr, 40, told The Guardian.

He carried what was left of their bodies to the local cemetery, only to find it had also been destroyed. Left with no other option, he buried his parents beside the few graves still intact.

Searching amid ruins

Khadr, The Guardian wrote, is one of thousands returning to northern Gaza following the pause in fighting. Many are on similar searches for relatives presumed dead after months of Israeli bombardment.

Gaza's civil defence agency estimates roughly 20,000 people remain trapped under the wreckage of destroyed homes and buildings. The ceasefire has given emergency teams a brief opportunity to begin the enormous task of locating the dead and offering families a chance at closure.

But the scale of the devastation is overwhelming. Civil defense teams are contending with an estimated 60 million tonnes of rubble. Roads have been obliterated or obstructed, and there is a severe shortage of heavy machinery. Much of the work is being done by hand, with pickaxes and sledgehammers, and crews must proceed cautiously, as many of the ruins are riddled with unexploded ordnance.

"At first, we are focusing on collecting the corpses lying in the streets to preserve what remains of them, especially with the presence of stray dogs that have been attacking bodies," said Khaled al-Ayoubi, 64, who leads civil defense efforts in northern Gaza.

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Digging for closure

Some rescue workers have no tools at all and are forced to dig with their bare hands. Despite their efforts, only a small number of the estimated missing have been recovered so far. Many of the worst-hit sites, including multistorey residential buildings, have yet to be searched.

Dr Mohammed al-Mugheer, 38, director of humanitarian support and international cooperation at Gaza's civil defense, told The Guardian that if "Israel" permits the entry of heavy equipment, it could take between six months to a year to recover all the bodies.

But many residents are unwilling to wait. They have taken matters into their own hands, digging through rubble themselves to find their missing family members.

Yahya al-Muqra, 32, also from Jabaliya, hasn't seen his brother Sharif since July 25, when an Israeli strike hit their home. When he returned to the site, he found it flattened, and no sign of his brother.

"We went to check the area, but found no trace of him, as if he had vanished, the house and everything around it had turned to rubble," Muqra said. Sharif, who suffered from epilepsy, may have died even if the blast didn't kill him directly, Muqra fears.

He continued his search on Sunday but came up empty-handed.

"I was hoping to find something that proves Sharif was there, a piece of clothing, any trace. We really need heavy machinery to search under the rubble, but these machines are unavailable," he said.

Unfinished goodbyes

The pain of uncertainty is unbearable for many. Some have lived in displacement for months, unable to return or properly grieve until now. For rescue workers, giving families a chance to bury their loved ones is more than just a duty, it's a way to help restore dignity amid the devastation.

"Families feel that recovering the bodies of their martyrs is a way to honor them and preserve their souls, and it reassures them that their loved ones truly became martyrs and are no longer alive," said Fadi al-Salibi, 35, a member of the civil defense team.

As for Muqra, he's preparing to bury his brother in the garden of what used to be their home, if he can find even a small part of him.

"My heart is broken because my brother has not been buried yet. Even a single bone would allow us to lay him to rest and feel some relief," he said.

Read more: 83% of Gaza City structures destroyed amid relentless Israeli attacks