By Mustafa Haboush
The bodies of at least 43 unidentified Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip have been buried in a mass grave, the government media office in Gaza said on Saturday.
“This is the second time that dozens of unidentified Palestinians have been buried since the beginning of the war," Salama Marouf, the head of the media office, told Anadolu.
The accumulation of bodies in the courtyards, rooms and refrigerators of hospitals prompted residents of the besieged enclave to dig mass graves in the gardens of their homes, according to an Anadolu correspondent.
The conflict in Gaza, under Israeli bombardment and blockade since Oct. 7, began when Hamas initiated Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, a multi-pronged surprise attack that included a barrage of rocket launches and infiltrations into Israel by land, sea, and air. It said the incursion was in retaliation for the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and growing violence by Israeli settlers.
The Israeli military then launched Operation Swords of Iron against Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip.
More than 4,137 Palestinians, including 1,524 children and 1,000 women have been killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza. That figure stands at more than 1,400 in Israel.
* Writing by Ikram Kouachi