Gaza City ( The COW News Digital)In yet another chilling display of brutality, Israeli forces have demolished a historic cemetery in southern Gaza, exhuming several bodies in the process. The incident occurred in the al-Mawasi area near Khan Younis, where the Turkish Martyrs’ Cemetery was flattened using military tanks and bulldozers.
According to Gaza’s Ministry of Religious Endowments (Waqf), Israeli forces desecrated the burial site by uprooting graves and removing bodies. The ministry condemned the act as a “flagrant violation of religious sanctity and human dignity,” describing it as a blatant assault on the dead. “This is a horrifying extension of Israel’s aggression — not only are the living under siege, but even the dead are not spared,” a spokesperson stated.
Eyewitnesses reported watching armored bulldozers plow through gravestones while nearby makeshift shelters of displaced Palestinians were also destroyed. The cemetery, home to several war-era martyrs and local citizens, had stood as a symbol of historical and religious significance.
The Ministry further revealed that more than two-thirds of Gaza’s 60 cemeteries have now either been destroyed or severely damaged since the escalation of the conflict. Humanitarian observers and rights organizations have strongly denounced the move, calling it a stark violation of international humanitarian law, which strictly prohibits the desecration of burial sites during wartime.
Israel has not issued a statement regarding the destruction of the cemetery, though its military operations in Gaza continue under the justification of security and militant eradication. However, critics argue that such actions serve no strategic purpose and only intensify the suffering of Palestinians.
Legal experts have also weighed in, noting that under the Geneva Conventions, cemeteries and religious sites are protected, and their destruction could amount to war crimes if proven intentional. “This act strips people not only of their homes but even the resting places of their ancestors. It’s an assault on memory, culture, and dignity,” said a UN-affiliated human rights observer.
The international community, while increasingly vocal, has yet to take any concrete action against the mounting violations in Gaza.
As the humanitarian situation worsens, Palestinians are left to mourn in silence — even the graves of their loved ones are no longer safe from war.
