The Social Committee of the Fatah Movement’s Prisoners’ Affairs in Gaza organized a protest on Wednesday demanding the release of the remains of Palestinians held in Israel’s so-called ‘Cemeteries of Numbers’
Bodies of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and fighters are kept in the notorious Israeli graveyard as a form of prolonged punishment to their families.
The protest was attended by many members of the Fatah Movement in the Gaza Strip and representatives of other Palestinian political groups. Palestinians also demanded that the international community pressures Israel to end its violations of prisoners’ rights.
“By holding our martyrs hostage, the Israeli occupation is brutally violating the very meaning of humanity and honor,” Ahmed Abu Al’Ata, the top Fatah member in Gaza, said in a speech. Abu Al’Ata added that “international law is meant to preserve the dignity of the dead and the protection of their remains, and having these remains return safely to their families to be buried with dignity, in accordance to their culture, traditions, and beliefs.”
(The Palestine Chronicle)
– Mahmoud Ajjour is a Gaza-based photojournalist. He is the Palestine Chronicle’s correspondent in the Gaza Strip.
