Israeli Military Operations Damage Gaza Cemeteries, Exhuming Graves and Causing Distress
Israeli military operations in Gaza, which have included searches for the remains of a captive, have resulted in significant damage and the exhumation of at least 250 graves across local cemeteries. This has caused profound distress and uncertainty for families whose relatives are buried in the affected sites.
Israeli military operations in Gaza... have led to the damage and exhumation of at least 250 graves in local cemeteries.
Extensive Damage at Al-Batsh Cemetery
During an operation aimed at recovering the body of Israeli policeman Ran Gvili, approximately 250 graves at al-Batsh cemetery in the Tuffah neighborhood of Gaza City were impacted. Heavy military machinery and bulldozers were deployed, leading to the exhumation of both old and recent graves, the destruction of tombstones, and significant alterations to the cemetery's layout, as confirmed by aerial imagery.
Families Report Profound Distress
Families have voiced their anguish over the state of their loved ones' final resting places. Fatima Abdullah and Madeline Shuqayleh are among those who reported deep distress regarding the damage to graves. In a separate incident, Rola Abu Seedo's father's grave, located in a temporary cemetery near al-Shifa hospital, was bulldozed during another incursion, and his remains have yet to be found.
Human Rights Groups Document Widespread Destruction
Human rights organizations have strongly criticized these actions. The Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor has documented that the Israeli army has damaged or destroyed approximately 21 out of 60 cemeteries in Gaza. This widespread destruction has caused exhumed remains to be mixed or lost, generating uncertainty for thousands of Palestinian families.
Specific cemeteries mentioned as having sustained damage include:
- Beit Hanoon
- Al-Faluja
- Ali Ibn Marwan
- Sheikh Radwan
- Al Shuhadaa Eastern
- Tunisian
- Church of St Porphyrius (all in Gaza City)
- Khan Younis cemetery
Furthermore, the Gaza War Cemetery and Deir el-Balah War Cemetery, which contain graves from World Wars I and II, have also been damaged.
The Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor documented that the Israeli army has damaged or destroyed approximately 21 out of 60 cemeteries in Gaza, causing exhumed remains to be mixed or lost.
International Bodies Raise Alarm
Hamas has condemned the exhumation of graves as "unethical and illegal."
Adding to the international concern, Volker Turk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, noted the discovery of mass graves containing hundreds of bodies at al-Shifa and Nasser hospitals in April 2024. These findings raise serious concerns about potential grave violations of international humanitarian law.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, noted the discovery of mass graves containing hundreds of bodies at al-Shifa and Nasser hospitals in April 2024, raising concerns about potential grave violations of international humanitarian law.