Skip to main content

Gazan family discovers Roman site in backyard

A Gaza family’s discovery of the remains of a Roman cemetery in their backyard spurred a major conflict between the family and the authorities.
Gaza_bones.jpg
Read in 

On the cold, rainy night of Jan. 25, the Kafarina family unearthed an archaeological site that sparked a major controversy between the family and the authorities that remains unresolved.

The family of 20, including 14 children, live in the town of Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip, a few kilometers from the border separating Gaza and Israel. One of the grandchildren, Abdelkarem al-Kafarina, noticed as the rain kept falling that a small cavity appeared in their backyard.

Access the Middle East news and analysis you can trust

Join our community of Middle East readers to experience all of Al-Monitor, including 24/7 news, analyses, memos, reports and newsletters.

Subscribe

Only $100 per year.