NUMBERS CEMETERY IN CENTRAL GAZA: MARTYR BODIES DETAINED BY ISRAEL

**Numbers Cemetery in Central Gaza: Martyr Bodies Detained by Israel.**(Photo: PNN)

Gaza, 28 Jumadil Akhir 1436/17 April 2015 (MINA) – Al-Asra center for prisoner studies Thursday morning said that Prisoners and Ex-prisoners commission established a symbolic cemetery of numbers in central Gaza, which carried the names of Palestinian martyrs whose bodies are still detained by Israeli occupation, even after their death.

Ex-prisoner, Ra’fat Hamdouneh, said that the project aims on featuring the suffering of the martyrs’ families, who wish to visit the graves of their sons, and to expose the Israeli occupation violations against the Palestinian martyrs.

Hamdouneh added that the graveyard was open, waiting for the grave holders to return. The name of the martyrs, and their numbers were written on signs on the ground, Palestine News Network (PNN) quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

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The symbolism of this cemetery, forms pressure on the international community and highlights the issue of cemetery numbers, where Palestinians bodies are kept in hold by Israel, and are given numbers without any names.

Researcher and activist Osama Murtaja said that the activity highlights the reality of Palestinian martyrs, saying that the occupation still detained hundreds of bodies of Arabs and Palestinians, who died in different settings.

Number cemeteries are secret and were built by Israeli forces in military areas in the occupied 1948 lands. The cemeteries are closed and are not allowed to be entered.

They were exposed a few years ago by Israeli media, and they are simple cemeteries with crowded tombs, which have metal sign above them bearing a number of the martyr, as a representation of the martyr’s name.

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In march, Israeli authorities declared that they will announce list of 119 names detained in the cemeteries, with the presence of 60 families of Palestinians who were killed.

The national campaign said that the numbers of detained bodies exceed 242 bodies, while the missing people with unknown plight hit about 65.(T/P008/P3)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)