"Cemeteries of Numbers" in 'Israel' hold 665 Palestinians, Arabs since 1960s

National Campaign for the Retrieval of Martyrs' Bodies has reported that Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) continue to withhold the remains of 665 Palestinian and Arab martyrs in what are known as "Cemeteries of Numbers" and refrigerators.

The first of these cemeteries was established in 1969 between Nablus and Jericho, according to "Israeli" newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth. A second, more active, and publicly known cemetery is located near the Benat Ya'qub bridge in Upper Galilee. However, at least six cemeteries exist, with their locations known only to "Israeli" authorities.

The campaign revealed that some of the martyrs' bodies date back to the 1960s and 1970s. The report emphasized that these figures do not include martyrs from the Gaza Strip, for whom accurate information is unavailable.

The term "Cemeteries of Numbers" refers to burial sites where Palestinians and Arabs killed by "Israeli" forces are buried in unmarked graves, with each body assigned a number based on its security file. 

The cemeteries have existed since the establishment of "Israel", though only a few have been uncovered. They also contain the remains of Arab martyrs.

The campaign stated that "Israel's" objective behind these cemeteries is to use death as a tool for prolonged suffering, vengeance, and punishment for the families of martyrs. This practice has become part of "Israel's" strategy to use the bodies as bargaining chips in negotiations, violating international law and humanitarian values.

By withholding the bodies, "Israel" seeks to prevent funerals from turning into public demonstrations and to hinder documentation of the bodies' release, which often occurs months or even years after they have been held in cold storage.

In recent years, the National Campaign for the Retrieval of Martyrs' Bodies has also reported that "Israeli" authorities have extracted organs from martyrs' bodies, selling them to medical centers or exchanging them with the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute for medical equipment.

In a related story, back in November 2023, Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor raised concerns about the possible theft of organs from Palestinian corpses, following reports from medical professionals in Gaza who examined bodies released by "Israel".

The NGO documented "Israeli" forces confiscating dozens of dead bodies from hospitals such as al-Shifa and the Indonesian hospital in northern Gaza, as well as others in the south.

Medical professionals have continuously reported finding that vital organs, including livers, kidneys, hearts, cochleas, and corneas, were missing, which Euro-Med Monitor described as "evidence" of potential organ theft.

This issue has been widely discussed in media outlets for some time, further highlighting ongoing human rights violations in the region.