I can’t sleep: A Gaza gravedigger reports that he is laying 200 to 300 martyrs to rest each week.
With the death toll in the conflict between Israel and Gaza exceeding 40,000, Saad Hassan Baraka, the caretaker of the primary cemetery in Deir al-Balah, reports that he has laid almost 19,000 individuals to rest since October 7, 2023.
The 63-year-old has been interring between 200 and 300 martyrs weekly, a stark increase from less than five prior to the Israeli military’s devastating campaign on the blockaded area that began in October 2023.
“Prior to the war, we typically conducted one or two funerals per week, with a cap of five at the most,” he was quoted saying in the media. “Currently, there are weeks where I am responsible for burying 200 to 300 individuals. It’s beyond belief.”
The cemetery he manages has become so crowded that he has no choice but to dig new graves atop existing ones. There is a constant stream of burials without any interruption.
“In all the conflicts in Gaza, Baraka observed, the situation has never been this extreme.”
In the past, Baraka oversaw the Ansar cemetery, a significant burial site situated in central Gaza. However, that cemetery is currently at full capacity, leaving no room for additional burials.
The conflict between Israeli and American forces and the blockaded Gaza Strip has reached its 316th day, with Gaza’s health ministry reporting over 40,050 deaths.
However, independent human rights organizations indicate that the real death toll could be significantly higher, with thousands, including women and children, still buried under debris and missing.
Baraka’s remarks highlight the severity of the circumstances, noting that he has been continuously burying individuals—primarily innocent civilians such as women and children—for nearly 11 months.
He reportedly said, “I laid to rest the Tabatibi family: 47 women, 16 of whom were expecting… After witnessing the dismemberment of children and women, I have no idea how I’ll ever sleep again.”
He stressed that the issue isn’t centered around Ismail Haniyeh or Yahya Sinwar, the previous and current heads of the Hamas resistance movement, but rather that the Tel Aviv regime aims to “completely eradicate the Palestinian population.”
“I work daily from 6 AM to 6 PM. So far, I have buried only two or three Hamas members. The majority of the deceased have been children, women, and elderly individuals,” Baraka commented.
Saadi Hassan Baraka (top right) at the Al-Soueid cemetery with his employee. (AFP)
