Grave Digger Struggles as Gaza's Cemetery Reaches Full Capacity

Saadi Baraka wakes up early in the morning and works hard until evening, kneeling in the soil as he strives to give a respectful burial to the deceased in Gaza. He mentions that the cemetery in Deir al-Balah, located in central Gaza, is now full and in need of more space.

The burial ground, surrounded by shrubs and graves in shades of green and gray, has undergone multiple extensions in the past few months to handle the continuous influx of bodies.

Baraka has buried 16,880 people since Israel started its attack on Gaza following Hamas' terror attack on October 7. This number is more than half of the 30,631 reported dead by the enclave's ministry of health. Israel believes that around 10,000 of those killed are Hamas fighters. It is important to note that CNN is unable to confirm the exact number of casualties in Gaza or the Israeli estimates of Hamas fighters killed.

Baraka shared with CNN that he begins his day at 6 a.m. at the cemetery and works until 6 p.m. preparing mass graves for groups of 30 to 40 people. He has created 167 mass graves so far. Baraka hopes for assistance in the form of tiles and cement to ensure that the deceased are laid to rest with dignity.

Baraka, who is 64 years old, worked as a gravedigger even before October 7. However, he shares that the disturbing sights he has witnessed since that day have been incredibly difficult to process. He has seen dismembered children, entire families laid to rest together, and graves packed with "tens of people in each."

"I struggle to fall asleep at night, even after taking 2 kilos of sleeping pills," he revealed.

Baraka has buried around 85% of women and children. He mentioned that all the women were killed because they stayed at home.

Out of the thousands of bodies in his cemetery, Baraka stated that he has buried only three Hamas fighters. He expressed his belief that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is not telling the truth when he claims to be targeting Hamas.

Baraka lays concrete bricks to form the walls of a grave above ground.

Baraka lays concrete bricks to form the walls of a grave above ground.

CNN captured workers constructing new graves using concrete blocks above ground instead of traditional burial methods. Baraka is seen sifting dirt through a sieve to remove rocks, adding water, mixing cement with a shovel, and then smoothing it over a grave. The grave is finally covered with a piece of corrugated iron.

Most tombstones are made from a single block of concrete, similar to the material used for the grave walls. Epitaphs are either scratched into the concrete with a nail or etched into the wet cement using the tip of a spade.

As Baraka and his men toil away, they are constantly accompanied by the loud buzzing of Israeli drones overhead and the overpowering smell of death surrounding them.

"Of course there's a smell, these are mass graves," he acknowledges. He recalls the names of many of the deceased. "Here lies the Laghi family, over there is the Abu Hasanein family, and these are the Abu Hattab," he gestures, pointing towards the different graves.

Graves are covered in cement, into which some etch epitaphs.

Graves are covered in cement, into which some etch epitaphs.

Mohammad Al Sawalhi/CNN

Many of the deceased in Gaza have lost their lives due to Israeli airstrikes that have been ongoing for nearly five months. However, the World Health Organization (WHO) reports that a growing number are now succumbing to hunger.

During a recent visit to the northern region of Gaza, a team from WHO observed alarming conditions. They noted severe malnutrition levels, children dying from starvation, critical shortages of fuel, food, and medical supplies, as well as destruction of hospital buildings.

Just days after numerous Palestinians lost their lives while trying to access food in Gaza City, a warning was issued. The incident resulted in at least 118 deaths and 760 injuries as Israel Defense Forces (IDF) troops used live fire on hungry and desperate Palestinian civilians gathered around food aid trucks, as reported by the Palestinian ministry of health.

Following the tragic event, the United States took action by air-dropping humanitarian aid into Gaza for the first time. Over 38,000 meals were dropped along the Gaza coastline on Saturday in a joint operation involving the US Air Force and the Royal Jordanian Air Force. Additionally, another 36,800 meals were dropped on Tuesday, as confirmed by CENTCOM.

But Baraka dismissed the operations as a political stunt. “We don’t want them to drop fast food from airplanes. They are showing off.”

Palestinians gather for the burial of a young girl as Baraka digs her grave.

Palestinians gather for the burial of a young girl as Baraka digs her grave.

Mohammad Al Sawalhi/CNN

A woman, accompanied by several men carrying her lifeless daughter in a bag, entered the cemetery while CNN was filming. She pleaded with Baraka to allow her to see her daughter before the burial. Baraka compassionately agreed and instructed the men to give her the chance to say her final goodbye while he prepared the grave. Later, a crowd gathered to pray as the daughter's body was laid to rest.

Baraka shared that he had worked in Israel for 28 years and expressed his desire to witness an end to the cycle of violence that has plagued generations.

He expressed his desire for peace as the ultimate solution, emphasizing the importance of living harmoniously as one. He believes that putting an end to wars is crucial for a peaceful coexistence.

While advocating for "two states for two people living together with love," he cautioned against Israel's efforts to eradicate Hamas, stating that it will not lead to the desired outcome.

Baraka tells Netanyahu in Arabic that he is wasting his time. Then, he switches to Hebrew and repeats his message, saying that if Netanyahu wants to finish Hamas, he is still wasting his time.

Editor's P/S:

The article exposes the harrowing realities of the ongoing conflict in Gaza, where Saadi Baraka, a gravedigger, has witnessed the