Israel to dig up Jewish remains in Gaza for reburial

JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israel’s army will dig up the remains
of 48 Jews buried in Gaza on Sunday for reburial in Israel in
the next stage of a withdrawal from the occupied territory, a
statement from the military said Saturday.

Under Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s plan to “disengage”
from conflict with Palestinians, Israel has removed 9,000
settlers from the Gaza Strip and four West Bank settlements,
territories occupied 38 years ago where Palestinians want a
state.

Israel plans next to withdraw its soldiers from Gaza, home
to 1.4 million Palestinians, in about a month after removing
all settler belongings, razing their homes and exhuming the
remains of Israelis buried in the former Gush Katif settlement
bloc.

An army statement said the disinterment and transfer of the
graves from a small hilltop cemetery to Israel would begin on
Sunday. Families would rebury the remains under rabbinical
supervision inside Israel, it said.

“The evacuation of the graves is a complicated and
sensitive mission,” the statement said, and the process will be
closed to media coverage, unlike the evacuation of settlers
last week that was broadcast live on television.