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Israel to dig up Jewish remains in Gaza for reburial

Posted on: Saturday, 27 August 2005, 17:49 CDT

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.

Source: REUTERS

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