GAZA, (Palestine Foundation Information Center) The Palestinian Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs confirmed that Israeli occupation forces (IOF) committed a “horrific crime” by storming the Turkish Cemetery west of Khan Yunis Governorate, exhuming graves, and stealing the bodies of martyrs and the deceased in the early hours of Thursday.
In a statement issued Friday, the ministry said that occupation forces entered the cemetery in the Al-Mawasi area using tanks and bulldozers and began excavating and exhuming graves — a blatant violation of all religious and human values and international norms. The ministry described the Israeli actions as “criminal and barbaric,” lacking any moral or legal justification.
The statement added that the crime was accompanied by widespread destruction of displacement tents surrounding the cemetery, displacing hundreds of families who had sought refuge in the area to escape the bombardment. This, the ministry noted, has further worsened the humanitarian crisis in the southern Gaza Strip.
The Ministry of Awqaf strongly condemned “this flagrant assault on the sanctity of the dead and the sacredness of cemeteries,” asserting that the IOF not only kills the living but also pursues the dead in their graves — a grave transgression of divine values and international laws that prohibit the desecration of human remains even during times of war.
The statement pointed out that since the beginning of the current aggression, Israeli forces have completely or partially destroyed approximately 40 out of 60 cemeteries across the Gaza Strip — a clear indication of a systematic targeting of burial sites under false security pretexts.
The ministry called on the international community — especially legal and human rights organizations — to launch an urgent international investigation into this crime and take immediate action to stop IOF violations against cemeteries and holy sites, and to hold Israel accountable for its crimes against Palestinians, both living and dead.
The statement concluded by affirming that the Palestinian people, despite all the tragedies they face, will continue to cling to their rights, defend their land and holy sites, and honor their dead.
