Rescue Workers in Gaza: Haunted by the Unrecoverable

Gaza's rescue workers battle against time and emotional toll as they confront the devastating realities of ongoing conflict.

When he lays his head down to sleep, Nooh al-Shaghnobi, a dedicated rescue worker in Gaza, is continually haunted by the desperate cries of the people he couldn’t save. “My soul is tired from this war,” he admitted, voice thick with the burden of countless lost lives. Over the past 14 months, his nights are filled with distressing images of collapsed buildings and memories of people he knew were still alive but could not reach in time.

For Gaza’s rescue teams—comprising paramedics, ambulance drivers, and first responders—their reality has become a relentless race against despair. Since the onset of the conflict, Israeli airstrikes have unleashed an overwhelming bombing campaign, with nearly 30,000 munitions dropped on Gaza in just the first seven weeks. The task of saving lives amidst such chaos is complicated by the sheer volume of destruction they encounter daily.

The International Committee of the Red Cross has highlighted the perilous conditions under which these brave souls operate. Faced with a lack of adequate equipment, vehicles, or fuel, Gaza's rescuers are often left to excavate survivors from beneath tons of rubble using only their hands and basic tools. One rescue operation ends, only to begin another as they strive to locate those buried under the debris of once-thriving neighborhoods.

While Israeli airstrikes continue to ravage the area, the emotional toll on these frontline workers cannot be overstated. Each day spent racing against time to save lives solidifies the grim reality they face—the haunting sounds of the living trapped below the ruins, their voices echoing in the rescuers' minds as they confront the limitations of their abilities and resources.