AhlulBayt News Agency: In a scene reflecting the brutality of war and the violation of the dignity of the dead, families in the Gaza Strip on Friday buried a new batch of unidentified victims’ bodies after they were handed over by Israeli authorities through the International Committee of the Red Cross.
According to local reports, the burial took place in a cemetery designated for unidentified victims south of Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, amid widespread grief and public anger, as concerns were raised over the manner in which the remains were returned.
Sources indicated that the remains consisted of scattered human body parts placed in sealed bags and boxes, making it impossible to identify the victims or determine their exact number.
Ziad Obeid, head of the Committee for the Recovery of Victims’ Bodies, described the latest batch as “unprecedentedly shocking,” noting that it included 68 bags containing incomplete remains, such as skulls, bones, and limbs, which made identification nearly impossible. He added that the absence of intact bodies has deprived families of their basic right to know the fate of their loved ones.
The condition of the remains has raised serious legal and ethical concerns, particularly as some were wrapped according to Islamic burial rites, prompting speculation that they may have been exhumed from previously established graves.
Local sources suggested that the remains may have been taken from cemeteries that were previously raided and bulldozed by Israeli forces in Gaza.
Dr. Munir al-Bursh, Director General of Gaza’s Ministry of Health, described the incident as a “moral and humanitarian crime that violates all international norms,” questioning the legal basis for returning human remains in such a mutilated state. He warned that the deliberate obscuring of victims’ identities complicates forensic documentation and hinders accountability for potential violations.
The Ministry of Health also noted that the lack of advanced forensic capabilities, particularly DNA testing, has prevented the identification of the victims, stressing that these are not mere statistics but individuals with families awaiting answers or the return of their remains with dignity.
Efforts to identify the bodies reportedly continued for several days without success due to the severe condition of the remains and the absence of identifiable features, leading authorities to proceed with collective burial as the only feasible option under the circumstances.
The incident forms part of broader allegations by human rights organizations in Gaza accusing Israeli forces of withholding, mishandling, or burying Palestinian bodies in unknown locations. Calls have been made for an independent international investigation to clarify the circumstances of these deaths and ensure accountability, while upholding human dignity even after death.
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