‘Back from the dead’: The continuing agony over Gaza’s 9,500 missing people

Gaza — With thousands of families in Gaza yet to reconcile with the disappearances of their loved ones, the return of Hamada al-Banna alive has shocked the Palestinian enclave.Believing he had been killed in Israel’s genocidal war that began in 2023, al-Banna’s family held a wake for him nearly a year ago.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Waiting for Hassan: Another Gaza doctor held by Israel without chargelist 2 of 4The search for Gaza’s missing brings heartbreak and closure for loved oneslist 3 of 4Israeli ministers join march to Gaza to demand return of settlementslist 4 of 4‘There are risks’: Ex-India judge behind damning UN report on Gaza childrenend of listHis story underscores the suffering of thousands of families who still await the return of their loved ones – or any information about them.The Ministry of Health in Gaza says it has received nearly 3,500 reports of missing people while rights groups, including Gaza-based Al-Dameer, estimated the number of missing to be 9,500.Frantic search and a blastAl-Banna’s nightmare began during a desperate trip to find aid for his family near the Zikim crossing in northern Gaza, where he was separated from his brother Adh...