Palestinian Civil Defense teams on Tuesday recovered the remains of 40 people from Sheikh Radwan Cemetery in Gaza City after parts of the cemetery were reportedly damaged during Israeli ground operations in the area.
According to a statement issued by the Civil Defense, the remains were recovered from the eastern section of the cemetery and transferred for further examination and identification. The process was carried out in the presence of forensic specialists, medical examiners, and representatives from the Ministry of Religious Endowments and Religious Affairs.
Officials said that bulldozing operations had disturbed a number of graves, causing human remains to become exposed and mixed together. As a result, identifying the deceased has become a complex task that now requires detailed forensic analysis.
Abdullah Al-Majdalawi, Director of Public Relations and Media for the Civil Defense in Gaza Governorate, said rescue teams are facing significant challenges in identifying the recovered remains. He noted that many of the remains consist of decomposed skeletal fragments, including those of children and elderly individuals.
Al-Majdalawi said the damage to graves and the mixing of remains have made it even more difficult for families searching for information about missing relatives. Describing the situation as a humanitarian tragedy, he asked, “How do names become numbers?”
The recovery operation comes as Gaza continues to face a severe burial crisis. Since the beginning of the war, residents have been forced to establish temporary and mass burial sites in public squares, streets, and areas surrounding hospitals because of the siege and difficulties accessing major cemeteries.
According to the report, burial space in Gaza City is becoming increasingly limited. Sheikh Radwan Cemetery and the Christian cemetery in eastern Gaza are among the few burial grounds that remain in use. Rising burial costs and the shortage of available space have forced some families to reopen old graves and bury multiple individuals in a single grave.
The report also notes that human rights organizations and media outlets have previously documented incidents involving the excavation and disturbance of cemeteries across Gaza during Israeli ground operations. Rights groups have described such actions as violations of international humanitarian law and the dignity owed to the dead.