Palestinian bodies returned by Israel show signs of torture, execution
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Gaza: Gaza’s Ministry of Health has received the remains of 45 Palestinians who were held in Israeli custody via the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), bringing the total number of bodies returned to 90 under a United States-brokered ceasefire deal.
Medical teams are continuing to examine, document, and prepare the bodies for delivery to families “in line with approved medical procedures and protocols,” the Health Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.
Under the ceasefire agreement, supported by US President Donald Trump and aimed at ending the two-year Gaza war, Israel was to return the bodies of 15 Palestinians for every deceased Israeli. The remains of 45 Palestinians were handed over on Monday.
Families in Gaza awaited information about the bodies, which arrived at Nasser Hospital on Tuesday and Wednesday. Forensic teams described disturbing conditions, with signs of physical abuse. Some bodies were blindfolded and handcuffed, suggesting that “field executions” may have taken place, medical sources told Al Jazeera.
Israel is expected to hand over more bodies, though officials have not specified how many remain in custody or will be returned. It is unclear whether the bodies were exhumed from cemeteries by the Israeli army during its ground offensive or belonged to detainees killed during the assault. Throughout the war, Israel has exhumed bodies while searching for the remains of captives.
As forensic teams examined the first returned remains, the Health Ministry released images of 32 unidentified bodies to assist families in identifying missing relatives. Many appeared decomposed or burned, with some missing limbs or teeth, and others coated in sand and dust. Israeli restrictions on DNA testing equipment entering Gaza have often forced morgues to rely on physical features and clothing for identification.
The forensics team reported that some bodies arrived still shackled or showing signs of physical abuse. “There are signs of torture and executions,” said Sameh Hamad, a member of the commission tasked with receiving the bodies at Nasser Hospital.
The bodies belonged to men aged 25 to 70. Many had bands around their necks, including one with a rope, and most wore civilian clothing, though some were in uniforms, indicating they were Palestinian fighters. Hamad said the Red Cross provided names for only three of the dead, leaving many families uncertain about their relatives’ fate.
Israel’s war on Gaza has killed nearly 68,000 Palestinians since October 2023, according to the Health Ministry. Palestinian officials say the actual toll could be far higher, with tens of thousands of bodies still believed to be under the rubble. Thousands more remain missing, according to the Red Cross and the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics.
Rasmiya Qudeih, 52, waited outside Nasser Hospital, hoping her son would be among the 45 bodies transferred from Israel on Wednesday. He went missing on October 7, 2023, the day of the Hamas-led attack. She was informed that he had been killed in an Israeli strike. “God willing, he will be with the bodies,” she said.
The Health Ministry released a video showing medical workers examining the bodies, stating that the remains would either be returned to families or buried if left unidentified.
Rights groups and a United Nations Commission of Inquiry have accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza. South Africa has filed a case at the International Court of Justice alleging genocide. Israel denies the allegations.