Gaza suffocates with dead; cemeteries reach capacity and dogs scavenge graves amid horrific humanitarian collapse
GAZA, May 11 (YPA) – The deepening burial crisis in the Gaza Strip reveals a new dimension of the humanitarian catastrophe left by the Israeli aggression. Families are finding themselves unable to secure decent graves for their loved ones as cemeteries reach full capacity, burial costs soar, and the situation deteriorates to the point where stray dogs are scavenging primitive graves.
From within the Sheikh Radwan Cemetery in central Gaza City, citizens confirmed that available burial spaces have nearly vanished. Burials are now effectively limited to the Sheikh Radwan and Al-Ahli Baptist (Al-Ma’amadani) cemeteries, occurring alongside a daily increase in the number of martyrs.
According to Palestinian and Arab media outlets, the cost of burial within cemeteries has surged to between 1,200 and 1,400 Shekels. Consequently, some families have been forced to reopen graves multiple times to bury several martyrs in the same tomb due to the total lack of available space.
With public cemeteries becoming inaccessible or burial costs becoming unaffordable, hundreds of families have resorted to converting home courtyards and private gardens into temporary burial sites. Meanwhile, the Israeli occupation’s siege exacerbates the crisis by preventing the entry of construction materials necessary for building graves, forcing residents to use home rubble and mud for burials.
According to local testimonies, several shallow graves have been scavenged by stray dogs due to weak backfilling and a lack of protection. This has resulted in bodies being unearthed and left in the streets—shocking scenes that reflect the scale of the humanitarian collapse in the Strip.
Documentation has also revealed bulldozing operations carried out by Israeli occupation forces inside several cemeteries, including the “Al-Batsh” Cemetery east of Gaza. These actions have obliterated the features of the graves and mixed remains, depriving families of the ability to identify the burial sites of their children.
This crisis unfolds as the Israeli aggression on the Strip continues since October 2023. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, the offensive has resulted in more than 72,000 martyrs and 172,000 injured, alongside widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure, including cemeteries.
YPA