Israel hands over Palestinian bodies showing signs of brutal torture

Israel has handed over 45 bodies of Palestinian hostages following their detention, and later death. The Ministry of Health in Gaza announced that its medical teams received the bodies from the International Committee of the Red Cross at the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Yunis.

The ministry explained that the bodies bore clear signs of torture, abuse, and field executions. Many of the dead were found with traces of handcuffs and blindfolds, indicating that their owners had been subjected to serious violations before their martyrdom.

Israel suspected of grave violations

In this context, the Palestinian Centre for the Missing and Forcibly Disappeared issued a statement calling for the completion of the handover of all detained bodies and the complete closure of this painful humanitarian file.

The centre indicated that it is following up on the process of handing over the 45 bodies through the Red Cross to the Nasser complex. They also praised the efforts of the International Committee in facilitating the process. Importantly, they also urged it to continue verifying the identities of the bodies through DNA testing and to ensure that the dignity of the martyrs is preserved and that they are quickly handed over to their families.

The statement added that some of the bodies were delivered intact, while others arrived in the form of remains that raise serious concerns about the circumstances of their death and detention. They wrote:

The Center warned that Israel’s failure to provide an official list of names deepens suspicions of enforced disappearance and manipulation of victims’ records. It called for immediate pressure on Israel to disclose the identities of all victims and the circumstances that led to their deaths.

The statement further urged full transparency regarding all transferred bodies, including the publication of all available information as soon as it is received — such as the victims’ names, details of their deaths, and prompt notification of their families, in respect of their right to truth and dignity.

Calls on international community

The Centre also called on the international community, the United Nations, and the International Committee of the Red Cross to pressure Israel to allow the entry of the equipment and machinery necessary to recover the bodies and identify the missing in the destroyed areas.

It stressed that the continued detention of bodies and the denial of families the right to bid farewell to their children is a crime against humanity and a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law.

It emphasised that the human right to a dignified burial does not lapse with the passage of time, and that revealing the truth is part of the justice that the victims and their families deserve.

Featured image via YouTube screenshot/Al Jazeera English