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Omar al-Sawhi Navigates Gaza's Severe Burial Space Shortage as Families Struggle to Find Final Resting Places for the Dead

Gaza's Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs reports a severe shortage of burial space as more than 73,000 Palestinians have been killed since October 2023. The crisis is exacerbated by the destruction of over 40 cemeteries and restricted access to burial grounds under Israeli control. Families are forced to find creative alternatives, such as burying loved ones in gardens, tents, and hospitals, or using salvaged masonry and mud as temporary markers. Omar al-Sawhi, a 20-year-old resident, recently had to bury his father, Mohammad, in his grandfather's grave due to the lack of available space and the high cost of new plots. This shortage is evident at the Khan Younis Cemetery, where gravedigger Tafesh Abu Hatab noted that the number of graves has increased from 60 to 6,000 since the war began. Authorities are currently searching for new burial grounds to accommodate the victims of the ongoing conflict.

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