At Al Shifa hospital in Gaza City, officials said they had to resort to using blankets, instead of traditional white shrouds, to wrap the bodies of some victims of the violence near the Zikim crossing on 3/8.

At least 13 people died from Israeli fire in that area, as crowds awaited a UN convoy carrying aid from Israel into northern Gaza.

In Islam, the white shroud (kafan) is a symbol of purity, equality, and respect for the deceased. It is an essential part of traditional burial rites, observed to honor the dead.

However, white shrouds have become scarce in Gaza due to Israel's tightened control over goods entering the strip, coupled with the increasing number of deaths from starvation and fighting.

"We don't want war, we just want peace and an end to this suffering. We are homeless, hungry, and exhausted. We have nothing to live on like normal human beings. There is nothing left in this life," Bilal Thari, 40, told reporters while at Al Shifa hospital to identify a relative.

This is not the first time reports of shroud shortages have emerged from Gaza. In November 2024, before the latest ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, media outlets published images of bodies wrapped in plastic bags, marked with names and dates of death.

A Palestinian mother arrives at Al-Shifa hospital to claim the body of her son, Mohammed Al-Motawak, who was killed on 4/8 while seeking food. Photo: Reuters

A Palestinian mother arrives at Al-Shifa hospital to claim the body of her son, Mohammed Al-Motawak, who was killed on 4/8 while seeking food. Photo: Reuters

In mid-July, volunteers in Gaza told Afghanistan's TOLO News that they were using any available material to replace the traditional shrouds.

"We record 70 to 80 deaths every day, sometimes up to 100, so there are not enough shrouds. Sometimes, I have to use hospital sheets, window curtains, blankets, anything to wrap the bodies," said Fouad al-Sousi, 52, a volunteer with the Qiratan Charity Association.

The color white has become so associated with death that some Gazans feel uneasy wearing the traditional Jalabiya robe, a sacred garment in Arab and Islamic culture, because of its white color.

"Any kind of white bag has become a bad omen because we have had so many deaths and funerals. I have a white Jalabiya, and I hate wearing it," said Talal Hasna, 71.

Gaza medical personnel wrapping bodies in plastic bags in November 2024. Photo: Safir.af

Gaza medical personnel wrapping bodies in plastic bags in November 2024. Photo: Safir.af

According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), over 60,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip have been killed since the conflict began on 7/10/2023 until 31/7.

At least 40 people died in Gaza on 4/8 due to Israeli attacks and gunfire, including 10 who were killed while trying to reach aid distribution points and five who died of starvation, according to local health officials.

The UN estimates that since the US- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Fund (GHF) began operating in May, over 1,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed in shootings near its aid distribution points. Most of the deadly incidents involved the Israeli military, along with armed groups in the area.

Contrary to the local health officials' statement, the GHF asserts that no shootings occurred in or near its aid distribution points in central and southern Gaza.

Bodies of victims of an attack in Nuseirat refugee camp, central Gaza Strip, are brought to Al-Awda hospital wrapped in blue plastic sheeting on 29/7. Photo: Reuters

Bodies of victims of an attack in Nuseirat refugee camp, central Gaza Strip, are brought to Al-Awda hospital wrapped in blue plastic sheeting on 29/7. Photo: Reuters

Israeli officials blame Hamas and humanitarian organizations in Gaza for a lack of cooperation, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.

Israel's aid coordination agency (COGAT) claims that over 1,200 trucks carrying 23,000 tons of humanitarian aid were cleared into Gaza last week, but UN and international organization personnel did not collect the goods.

Meanwhile, local authorities estimate that only over 600 trucks have entered Gaza since Israel eased the blockade in late July. Hamas claims that many trucks have been looted by civilians and armed criminal gangs.

The UN estimates Gaza needs 600 aid trucks daily to meet minimum humanitarian needs.

Thanh Danh (According to Reuters, TOLO News)