Palestinians bury their dead without shrouds as Israel deepens assault on northern Gaza

By Mohammed Abudoun

GAZA CITY, Palestine (AA) – Displaced Palestinians in the northern Gaza city of Beit Lahia have been forced to bury their dead into the ground without shrouds, as coffins have run out due to relentless airstrikes and a suffocating siege imposed by the Israeli army on the area.

According to witnesses, the Israeli army has tightened its siege on Beit Lahia since Monday, where tens of thousands of displaced people have fled from the refugee camp of Jabalia in northern Gaza.

Medical teams have been unable to reach the area due to intensive bombardment and the closure of roads by the Israeli army, forcing locals to bury their loved ones into the ground without shrouds, witnesses said.

“Hospitals in northern Gaza no longer have shrouds available due to the large number of casualties from Israeli attacks in recent weeks,” a medical source told Anadolu.

The Israeli army stepped up its massive assault in northern Gaza amid a suffocating siege that has left tens of thousands of people without food and water.

More than 600 people have been killed and thousands injured since the onslaught began on Oct. 5, according to Palestinian health authorities.

The onslaught was the latest episode in Israel’s brutal onslaught that has killed more than 42,700 people, mostly women and children, and injured nearly 100,300 others since last year following a Hamas attack.

"The situation has been extremely bad since dawn as the Israeli army has not stopped its attacks for even a minute,” Mohammed Al-Maqadma, a displaced civilian in Beit Lahia, told Anadolu on Tuesday.

“Dozens of people have been killed in these attacks, forcing families to bury them into the ground without shrouds,” he added.

The Israeli war on Gaza has displaced almost the territory’s entire population amid an ongoing blockade that has led to severe shortages of food, clean water, and medicine.

Israel faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in Gaza.

*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala