‘Even the dead were not spared’: Israeli’s Gaza desecration compounds grief

In Gaza City, the Israeli military desecrated at least 250 graves in al-Batsh cemetery during a search operation for the remains of an Israeli captive, Ran Gvili. The incident, which occurred in the Tuffah neighborhood, involved the use of heavy machinery and bulldozers, leading to the exhumation of both old and recent graves. Families were left devastated by the destruction of tombstones and the scattering of corpses and remains. The search operation, which took place in January 2026, has been described by residents as a violation of their right to mourn and preserve the dignity of the deceased. The desecration compounded the grief of families who had already lost loved ones during the conflict.

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