Gaza Herald_ Palestinian religious authorities have sounded the alarm over what they describe as unprecedented violations against Islamic cemeteries in Gaza, revealing that Israeli forces have damaged or destroyed 56 out of the territory’s 62 cemeteries since the start of the ongoing war. The Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs confirmed that dozens of burial grounds have been rendered unusable, as occupation forces continue to exhume graves, confiscate bodies, and inflict severe destruction, in actions that flagrantly violate international law and basic human dignity.
A Crime Against the Living and the Dead
Ministry spokesperson Amir Abu Al-Omareen stated that Israeli forces have expanded their campaign of devastation beyond civilians and infrastructure to target cemeteries, describing this as a form of brutality that spares neither the living nor the dead. He stressed that grave desecration and the detention of human remains represent an extraordinary moral collapse, marking a level of criminality unseen in previous conflicts.
He emphasized that the systematic destruction of cemeteries reflects a broader policy aimed at erasing every trace of Palestinian existence, extending from homes, hospitals, and farmland to burial grounds themselves. Abu Al-Omareen underscored that such acts violate international humanitarian law, religious principles, and universally recognized ethical norms that protect the dignity of the deceased.
Ongoing Exhumations and Detention of Bodies
According to the ministry, Israeli forces have repeatedly exhumed graves, confiscated bodies, and returned some remains without identification, leaving families unable to determine the fate of their loved ones. Thousands of Palestinians are believed to be buried in what are known as “numbered graves,” containing unidentified victims killed beneath rubble or executed while in detention.
Recent footage released by Israeli media documented renewed grave excavation in the Shuja’iyya neighborhood of eastern Gaza City, where heavy machinery, infantry units, and medical teams were deployed in large-scale operations under the pretext of searching for Israeli captives, leaving extensive destruction in their wake.
Calls for Urgent International Intervention
Abu Al-Omareen condemned the persistent international silence, warning that it has emboldened Israel to continue its violations without accountability. He appealed directly to global institutions, humanitarian organizations, and religious authorities to intervene immediately, declaring, “If you cannot stand with the Palestinian people while they are alive, then stand at least with their dead, whose graves are being violated without cause.”
He further called on US President Donald Trump, as a guarantor of the ceasefire agreement, to exert pressure on Israel to halt the desecration of Muslim cemeteries and to uphold international legal obligations.
A War That Spares Nothing
Since October 2023, Gaza has witnessed systematic grave desecration across multiple areas, compounding civilian suffering and depriving families of the ability to bury their loved ones with dignity. These actions have intensified trauma, obstructed mourning rituals, and deepened the humanitarian catastrophe, adding another grim dimension to a war marked by mass destruction and collective punishment.
