Residents Use the Ceasefire in Gaza for Pilgrimage

Vehicles belonging to the International Red Cross Committee's transportation released the hostages to the Rafah crossing in the Southern Gaza Strip (24/11/2023). (Between/Xinhua/Rizek Abdeljawad/aa)

JAKARTA - Palestinians flocked to visit the graves of the families of those killed as a result of Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip as soon as the humanitarian break with Hamas began.

Many Palestinians visit the cemetery located in the Tel al-Sultan area in the western part of Rafah, which has the capacity to accommodate 500 bodies but is forced to bury 600 bodies due to limitations.

Those who lost relatives due to Israeli attacks or problems arising from the lack of medicine and fuel, wept and prayed.

Munir Labda lost his son due to Israeli bombardment. He admitted to Anadolu that this was the first time he had visited his son's grave since his son died.

The grieving father remembered his son as a cheerful child who memorized the Koran.

Meanwhile, Ali Isa, who lost his wife due to an Israeli attack, cried over his wife's grave. He immediately visited his wife as soon as he learned that there was a humanitarian ceasefire.

Isa admitted that he had just visited his wife's grave because he was injured in the Israeli attack.

Under the four-day humanitarian pause in Gaza, 50 Israelis detained by Hamas will be released in exchange for 150 Palestinian prisoners from Israeli prisons.

The four-day humanitarian pause between Israel and Hamas came into effect Friday morning throughout the Gaza Strip. This pause temporarily halted the attack to allow for an exchange of prisoners and the influx of aid.

Israel launched relentless air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip after Hamas attacked it on October 7.

The Palestinian health service said that as a result of Israeli attacks, 14,854 Palestinians were killed, including 6,150 children and more than four thousand women.