**On 29 January 2024**, a six-year-old Palestinian child in Gaza City, Hind Rajab, pleaded over the phone for emergency workers to rescue her from a car riddled with bullets. Her body was found two weeks later, on 10 February, alongside the bodies of six of her family members in the car they drove to flee their neighbourhood as Israeli forces invaded. The bodies of two Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) paramedics, missing since the evening of the call when they were dispatched to rescue Hind Rajab, were discovered in their ambulance about 50 metres away.  ## **Forensic Architecture & Earshot NGO Investigation** *Working closely with journalists from Al Jazeera’s Fault Lines, Forensic Architecture collaborated with Earshot to examine the circumstances surrounding the killing of Hind Rajab, her four cousins, her aunt and uncle, and the two paramedics who came to her rescue.* The joint investigation w/ @earshot_ngo and @AJFaultLines into the killing of 6-year-old Hind Rajab, her 4 cousins, her aunt and uncle, and 2 paramedics on 29 Jan 2024 challenges the Israeli Army’s claim that troops weren't in the area that day. Hind and 6 family members, fleeing invading Israeli forces, left in the early hours of 29 Jan from a home in the Tel al-Hawa neighbourhood of Gaza City, driving north. Hind’s mother, Wissam Hamada, witnessed shots being fired at the car from an intersection to the north of the home. Many Israeli military vehicles—in a shape and size consistent with Israeli Merkava tanks—are visible in satellite images of the intersection from that day. We mapped 335 entry holes on the body of the car, most located on the right side, suggesting the position of the shooters. Around 2:30pm, Hind’s 15-year-old cousin Layan Hamada was killed while on a call with PRCS dispatchers. @earshot_ngo analysed the recording of this call and determined that Layan was likely shot by Israeli forces at close range (13–23 metres). At 5:40pm, two paramedics, Yusuf al-Zeino and Ahmed al-Madhoun, proceeded in an ambulance to Hind, the sole survivor in the car. The ambulance was shot at upon arrival. Using satellite imagery and video documentation, we estimated the location of the ambulance when it was hit. Evidence gathered by @AJFaultLines reveals an exit hole in the ambulance’s left rear door. We reconstructed the cone of impact to determine the direction from which the ambulance was shot. This direction is consistent w/ the location of Israeli tanks visible in satellite imagery. Hind’s body was found in the car alongside the bodies of her family members two weeks later, on 10 February. The paramedics’ bodies, missing since the evening they were dispatched, were discovered in the ambulance ~50 metres away from the car. ### **Weapon used :** The investigation found that Israeli forces used multiple weapons in the attack on Hind Rajab and those with her. **M4 Assault Rifle or FN MAG Machine Gun (Mounted on Merkava Tank)** - Used to fire 64 gunshots in six seconds at close range. - Layan Hamada, Hind's cousin, was killed by rounds fired from a Merkava tank-mounted FN MAG machine gun (7.62mm rounds). - The rapid-fire rate (750–900 rounds per minute) ruled out AK-type rifles and confirmed the use of Israeli military weaponry. **120mm M830A1 HEAT-MP-T Round (Tank Shell)** - Used to destroy the Palestine Red Crescent ambulance attempting to rescue Hind. - A sabot (component of the tank shell) was found near the ambulance. - The large exit hole (23x26cm) and burn marks matched the impact pattern of a Merkava tank-fired 120mm High Explosive Anti-Tank Multi-Purpose Tracer (HEAT-MP-T) round. **335 Bullets Fired at the Kia Picanto (Family's Car)** - The car was riddled with 335 bullet holes, mostly on the right side. - Analysis suggests that Israeli forces used automatic weapons, likely a combination of M4 rifles and FN MAG machine guns from tanks or infantry positions. **Israeli Military Bulldozer (Caterpillar D9)** - The Kia Picanto was crushed, likely by an Israeli military bulldozer. - The windshield depression and tire deformation indicate it was pushed and run over. *The evidence suggests a systematic attack using Israeli military weapons, including machine guns, tank shells, and armored bulldozers, against civilians and emergency responders.* ### **Key Geolocated Points:** **Attack on the Kia Picanto (Family’s Car)** Location: Near a gas station in Gaza City, west of Tel al-Hawa neighborhood. Coordinates (Estimated): ~31.499°N, 34.445°E (31.499146838250354, 34.44498795357003) (Based on satellite imagery and mapping). Positioning Evidence: Satellite imagery from Planet Labs (Jan 29, 2024, 3:31 PM UTC) shows the car's original location before being moved. Bullet impact mapping indicates shooters positioned on the right side, likely from a Merkava tank within 13–23 meters. **Position of the Israeli Merkava Tanks** Location: Intersection north of the Kia Picanto’s position, covering escape routes. Coordinates (Estimated): ~31.500°N, 34.444°E. Positioning Evidence: Satellite images from Forensic Architecture (Jan 29, 2024, 3:31 PM UTC) show multiple Israeli military vehicles, likely Merkava tanks, positioned at the main intersection. Audio analysis of gunfire places the tank within 13–23 meters of the car. Location of the Ambulance Attack (Palestine Red Crescent) Location: 50 meters away from the Kia Picanto, near a burn mark identified in satellite imagery. Coordinates (Estimated): ~31.4995°N, 34.4455°E. Positioning Evidence: Satellite images from Feb 8, 2024, show wreckage and burn marks consistent with a 120mm HEAT-MP-T tank shell impact. Photographic evidence and Al Jazeera footage (Feb 10, 2024) confirm the ambulance's final location. ## **Tribute, memory and symbole of the struggle against impunity** Hind’s story became a symbol of Palestinian suffering and resistance, drawing global attention to Israeli war crimes. 1. The Hind Rajab Foundation was established to seek justice, while solidarity actions, including the renaming of university halls and a song by Macklemore, kept her memory alive. A year later, Gaza remains devastated, with tens of thousands killed, many buried under rubble, and severe humanitarian crises due to blocked aid. Despite international outrage, no meaningful action has been taken against Israel’s continued targeting of civilians, children, and healthcare workers. The Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF) was established to seek justice and challenge Israeli impunity. It has filed legal cases worldwide, including at the International Criminal Court (ICC) and national courts in Brazil, Spain, Austria, Germany, and Thailand, ensuring that Israeli soldiers responsible for war crimes cannot travel freely without facing legal consequences. HRF continues its mission through legal action and global awareness, urging international pressure to hold perpetrators accountable and prevent further atrocities. The world’s response to Hind’s case will determine whether Israeli war crimes go unpunished or if justice can finally be achieved. 2. *The Voice of Hind Rajab* is a 2025 docudrama directed by Kaouther Ben Hania, based on the real‑life tragedy of six‑year‑old Hind Rajab, who made harrowing emergency calls while trapped in a car under fire in Gaza. The film blends actual audio recordings of her call to the Palestine Red Crescent Society with dramatized scenes of emergency dispatchers and responders. The film premiered at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival, where it won the Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize and received an extraordinary 23‑minute standing ovation, one of the longest in the festival’s history. It has also been selected as Tunisia’s official submission for Best International Feature Film at the Oscars and garnered nominations at the Golden Globe Awards. ## **Name of the martyrs:** These victims were inside the civilian vehicle that was fired upon: 1. Hind Rami Iyad Rajab — age 5 – 6 (the child at the center of the widely reported case). 2. Layan Hamadeh – age 15, cousin (initially survived and called for help but later also died) 3. Raghad Bashar Hamadeh – age 13, cousin 4. Mohammad Bashar Hamada – age 11, cousin 5. Sarah Bashar Hamada – age 9, cousin 6. Bashar Hamada – adult male, uncle 7. Bashar Hamada’s wife – adult female, aunt These were the two paramedics from the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) who were killed while attempting to rescue Hind: 8. Yousef al‑Zeino — PRCS paramedic. 9. Ahmed al‑Madhoun — PRCS paramedic. ## **Further investigation and identification of some perpetrators** An Al Jazeera documentary documentary attributes operational responsibility for the killings to Israel’s 401st Armored Brigade, commanded by Colonel Beni Aharon. Aharon is already the subject of a criminal complaint filed at the International Criminal Court by HRF. Within that brigade, the “Vampire Empire” company—part of the 52nd Armored Battalion, led by Colonel Daniel Ella—is alleged to have carried out the attack and tampered with the crime scene. The company’s commander, Major Sean Glass, and one of its soldiers, Itay Choukirkov, a dual Israeli-Argentinian national, have both been named in separate legal actions. The 52nd Battalion, also known as Ha-Bok’im (“The Breachers”), was among the first Israeli units to enter Gaza in October 2023 and has since been involved in several of the army’s most destructive operations, including the storming of hospitals. On October 22, 2025, in a long statement on X, the Palestinian journalist Younis Tirawi respectfully disagrees with the HRF’s claim that Sean Glass or his company, “Vampire Empire,” were responsible for the killing of Hind Rajab. He notes that there is no credible evidence linking them to the incident. In January 2025, HRF approached him for assistance with the case, but he declined due to personal reasons. He warned HRF that their initial attribution to the 9th Battalion was incorrect and emphasized that legal filings must be based on verifiable facts, not inference or narrative preference. He also referred them to a public IDF statement showing that the 52nd Battalion, not the 9th, was operating near Hind Rajab’s location. Despite his advice to delay the filing to strengthen the legal strategy, HRF proceeded publicly, presenting the information as the result of a year of research. Tirawi critiques the Al‑Jazeera documentary for not independently verifying claims and for including factual inaccuracies, such as the alleged involvement of dual nationals or private military transport. He stresses that while the 52nd Battalion’s presence is established, there is no evidence linking Company V specifically to the crime. Multiple companies and units, including APCs from other brigades, were in the area, and the fatal injuries were caused by machine-gun fire rather than a tank shell. Inferring responsibility solely from the presence of a battalion is speculative and insufficient for legal accountability. Ultimately, Tirawi emphasizes that accountability efforts require precision and evidence that can withstand scrutiny in court. Speculative or emotionally compelling narratives risk misattribution and could undermine the credibility of broader justice efforts. He supports full public, legal, and ethical accountability for Hind Rajab’s killing, her family, and the paramedics, but insists that conclusions must be based on verifiable evidence, not inference or narrative convenience.

On January 20, 2025, Israeli extremist settlers under the protection of Israeli occupation forces, raided Al-Funduq and Jinsafut near Qalqilya. Some 50 masked settlers attacked the village of al-Funduq, threw stones at civilians, set fire to 3 buildings & 3 vehicles. Several Palestinian residents were injured, and two settlers are allegedly severely injured as well by Israeli soldiers (A police officer "mistakenly" made an "identification" and shot at settlers) Several vehicles, commercial establishments and parts of homes were set ablaze in the both villages Jalal Bashir, the head of the Jinsafut Village Council, informed WAFA that dozens of colonists raided the village, setting fire to Several vehicles owned by Palestinian residents? three homes, a nursery and a carpentry workshop situated along the Qalqilya-Nablus main road. During the attack, one citizen sustained a minor head injury while attempting to protect his home from the settlers’ attack. Several other residents suffocated after inhaling tear gas fired by the Israeli soldiers. Then Israeli forces closed the iron gate at the eastern entrance to Qalqilya, resulting in severe traffic congestion.

The martyr is Ahmad Jamal Al-Durrah, brother of the late Mohammad Al-Durrah, whose murder by Israeli soldiers was an symbol of the second Intifada. According to his father, Jamal al-Durrah, Ahmad was killed in an Israeli raid on Bureij camp while returning from the palce of his mother-in-law who was killed the day before. [PHOTO](https://x.com/Qadeyah1/status/1748410966071525496) Jamal Al-Durrah holds his son's face [Source](https://www.aljazeeramubasher.net/news/2024/1/19/بعد-24-عاما-شقيق-الطفل-محمد-الدرة-يلحق)

Around 2:30 am, an Israeli airstrike targeted a car on Salah al-Din Street in Al-Satr area in Khan Younis. The target were another group of aid security personnel, who have been relentlessly targeted by Israel along with local police to sow chaos. Five people were killed. **Names of the martyrs:** 1. Moatasem Raed Ramadan Abu Jarad (25 y/o) 2. Mahmoud Ayman Yousef Al-Majayda (26 y/o) 3. Mahmoud Basem Mahmoud Dawhan (37 y/o) 4. Fahd Imad Al-Din Ibrahim Abu Mustafa (26 y/o) 5. Unidentified (Sources: [1](https://x.com/F24online/status/1875341751797641355) [2](https://x.com/PalinfoAr/status/1875347444260835789) [3](https://x.com/Hamzaalnamla1/status/1875451223589187934))

"The 401st Brigade, the elite armored brigade that uses the latest "Merkava 4" tanks, has been directly involved in its attacks and aggression on the Gaza Strip, and has been part of the genocide and ethnic cleansing in the Strip. From the start of the ground invasion until Jabalia entered the current and ongoing aggression, the 401st Brigade has been heavily and fundamentally involved in heinous and bloody crimes, noting that the brigade commander, Ihsan Daqsa, fell into an ambush by the resistance in Jabalia. Under this tweet, I share some videos and begin to expose one of the most prominent propaganda of the Israeli occupation during this war: “evacuation leaflets.” In the clip below from Khan Yunis, we see that the evacuation leaflets were dropped on the targeted areas after the attacks were carried out, and not before them as is being promoted, which negates the claim that they aim to protect civilians or demand that they evacuate in advance. As a reminder, all the scenes were captured from a camera on the helmet of a soldier riding a tank, which means that there was no danger to the soldiers in all the previous scenes. Otherwise, the soldier would have been hiding inside the tank." researcher : @Tamerqdh

**On December 25**, Israeli forces rounded up dozens of Palestinians, including men, women, children, disabled people and even a baby in Gaza's Yarmouk Stadium. They were stripped to their underwear, blindfolded, and tied, with Israeli soldiers pointing guns at them. **Roundup campaign** According to Euro Med Human Rights Monitor, a large mass arrest campaign was launched by Israeli troops : civilians were arrested in Jabalia al-Balad and its camp, north of Gaza, and in the neighbourhoods east of Gaza City. *"Israeli forces frequently blow up doors and throw bombs during their raids of Palestinian homes and shelter centres. Israel’s soldiers then storm the buildings toshoot, execute, and kill everybody inside—either for no apparent reason, or for “crimes” as simple as two civilians speaking with each other. They later force any survivors out of the homes or shelters, forcing the men to strip completely naked while the women are searched and harassed"*. Israel’s random arrest campaign has targeted doctors, nurses, journalists, teachers, engineers, human rights defenders, workers in humanitarian organisations, and elderly people. **Yarmouk Statium used as a Dentention Camp** On December 26, 2023, harrowing footage emerged showing Israeli troops turning Yarmouk stadium into a makeshift internment camp. A soldier carrying a baby wrapped in a blanket could be seen at the end of the video. Armed soldiers and tanks encircled the field, soldiers posing in front of a group of detained women and children, and blindfolded men and women forced to kneel in front of a goal with the Israeli flag attached to the netting. Israeli forces further solidified its devastation by employing tanks and bulldozers to level the pitch. **Sexual harrassment** According to information received by Euro-Med Monitor, during the last days of December, the Israeli army has been detaining hundreds of Palestinians in the Sheikh Radwan neighbourhood in Gaza City. *"Among them are dozens of women who were taken to Yarmouk Stadium, where they had their veils removed and were searched by soldiers. Many of them also endured explicit abuse, beatings, and harassment".* Palestinian males, including children as young as 10 years old and elderly people over the age of 70, were forced to take off all of their clothes except their underwear and line up in a humiliating manner in front of the women detained in the same stadium. Israeli army detained a large numbers of females, including young girls, mothers with their children, and elderly women—one detained woman being over 80 years old—. All of whom are subjected to cruel and inhumane treatment while in detention, including the forced removal of their veils. **Allegations of Field Executions :** The video, shared widely on social media, depicts what some have described as "executions." The UN and human rights groups accused Israeli forces of carrying out field executions in Gaza, targeting civilians forcibly removed from displacement centers. **Abduction in Israeli military trucks to Negev detention centers** Hadeel Youssef Issa Al-Dahdouh, a female detainee who was also released in 2024, was seen abducted and transported in an Israeli military truck alongside a group of naked men to the Israeli Detention Centers in Negev. **An enforced disappearance campaign** Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances can be defined by "the arrest, detention, abduction or any other form of deprivation of liberty by agents of the State or by persons or groups of persons acting with the authorisation, support,or acquiescence of the State, followed by a refusal to acknowledge this deprivation of liberty or by concealment of the fate or whereabouts of the disappeared person, which places such a person outside the protection of the law". Gaza Strip detainees are subject to all of these circumstances. They relatives ignore their fates : detained, killed or injured somewhere. In December, Israel’s military has detained over 3,000 people whose whereabouts are still unknown, and released no information on them. This constitutes the heart of Israel's dehumanization policy and genocide in Gaza. Forced disappearance is illegal and qualifies as a “crime against humanity” if carried out extensively or methodically, as is being done by Israeli army forces in the Gaza Strip. **On december 30, 2024,** Franceska Albanese claims on her X Account : "The case of the disappeared must be urgently investigated in the attempt to save lives. With the Israeli Supreme Court refusing to do so, other legal avenues must be explored."       Sources : [1](https://www.newarab.com/news/israeli-forces-round-abuse-palestinians-gaza-stadium) [2](https://www.sportspolitika.news/p/gaza-football-stadiums-israel-war) [3](https://euromedmonitor.org/en/article/6060/Israel-required-by-law-to-reveal-the-fate-of-dozens-of-women-arrested-in-Gaza,-intl.-community-must-investigate-images-and-claims-of-torture,-harassment)

Late night airstrikes targeted energy production facilities in the Yemeni capital, killing nine people. **Names of the martyrs:** 1. Abdullah Mukhlis 2. Abdo Ibrahim 3. Awad Sajma 4. Osama Hassan Deek 5. Issam Bakri 6. Yahya Alwan 7. Mohammad Omar Zaeem 8. Ali Arouki 9. Ali Mizjaji (Sources: [1](https://x.com/X__ay66/status/1869836746625822968)) Potraits of the martyrs: 

**On December 15**, Samer abu Daqqa, سامر أبو دقة, a 45 y/o camera operator for Al-Jazeera Arabic since 2004, was killed by a drone strike while covering the aftermath of nightly Israeli strikes on a United Nations school -Farahana School- sheltering displaced people in the center of Khan Yunis, southern Gaza, according to Al-Jazeera and Reuters news agency. He was the father of 3 kids. His family lives in Belgium. He refused to leave Gaza despite the danger. He would say: *"I won’t leave, one day my family will return to Gaza too."* ## Circumstances His colleague, Al-Jazeera bureau chief Wael Al Dahdouh, whose wife and children were killed in an Israeli air raid on 25 October, was wounded in the arm and waist in the same strike as Abu Daqqa. But while Al-Dahdouh was able to be transported to the hospital, Abu Daqqa was unable to be moved for medical care and could not be reached for hours by first responders, according to Israel’s Foreign Press Association. He was trapped with other injured people in the school, which was surrounded by Israeli forces, and was unable to be evacuated for treatment. According Al Jazeera, *"Following Samer's injury, he was left to bleed to death for over five hours, as Israeli forces prevented ambulances and rescue workers from reaching him, denying the much-needed emergency treatment" .* ## [Reconstruction](https://yemenfuture.net/researches/23940) of his last day by the “Gaza Project,” by Forbidden Stories On December 15, 2023, Al Jazeera journalist Samer Abu Daqqa was killed in an Israeli drone strike while covering events in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza. He was filming near Farhana School when the attack occurred, killing him and three others, including Civil Defense crew members. Despite being injured, Abu Daqqa tried to crawl to safety but was hit by a second missile. His camera was destroyed, and his body showed signs of multiple injuries. The team had been documenting the devastation in Gaza and had coordinated with the Israeli army for access to the area. ### Chronology and Key Facts: **December 15, 2023:** Morning: Samer Abu Daqqa (Al Jazeera journalist) and Wael al-Dahdouh (Al Jazeera bureau chief) arrive in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza, to cover the destruction caused by Israeli airstrikes. They are accompanied by Civil Defense crews, including Nour Saqr and Hosni Nabhan. At 9:30 AM: Satellite images show a smoke cloud, likely from an explosion, about 700 meters from the location the journalists plan to cover. At 10:00 AM: The team reaches the Farhana Girls’ Secondary School, which has been empty due to the war. They film the surrounding destruction. After nearly two hours of filming, the journalists and Civil Defense crew head out to a new area. They are targeted by an Israeli drone strike near the Farhana School. The attack kills four people: Samer Abu Daqqa, Nour Saqr, Hosni Nabhan, and Rami Badir. Wael al-Dahdouh is injured but survives. Abu Daqqa is severely wounded, with injuries to his legs, eye, and right side. His camera is destroyed. Afternoon: Wael al-Dahdouh, despite his injuries, manages to walk to Civil Defense vehicles for help. He is rushed to Nasser Hospital while the rescue team attempts to retrieve Abu Daqqa’s body. Evening: Civil Defense crews are unable to return to retrieve Abu Daqqa’s body until five hours later, as they wait for Israeli military approval. When they finally find him, his body shows signs of multiple injuries, and his bulletproof vest marked "Press" is found several meters away from him. His body is discovered near the rubble of the Palestinian Production Bank, indicating he had crawled to safety before being hit by a second missile. ## Statements : The Israeli army pretends it approved a route for a Palestinian ambulance to access the scene but the medical van chose another route and was blocked. The FPA said the 45-year-old father of four, who had worked for Al Jazeera since 2004, was its first member to be killed in Gaza in the war. *“We consider this a grave blow to the already limited freedom of the press in Gaza and call on the army for a prompt investigation and explanation,”* Al Jazeera said it *“deems this incident a deliberate attempt to target its correspondents and their families in the besieged Gaza Strip”*. Al Jazeera managing editor Mohamed Moawad said: *“His unwavering commitment to truth and storytelling has left an indelible mark on our team. Samer, whose lens captured the raw and unfiltered reality of life in Gaza, was not just a skilled professional but a compassionate soul who understood the power of visual storytelling. His courage in the face of adversity allowed the world to witness the untold stories of a region grappling with complex challenges. In the pursuit of truth, our cameraman faced immense risks to bring viewers a deeper understanding of the human experience in Gaza. His lens became a window into the lives of those affected by conflict, shedding light on stories that needed to be told.”* **On December 17**, Al Jazeera claims preparing a legal file to send to the International Criminal Court (ICC) over what it called "the assassination" of one of its cameramen in Gaza. [According](https://www.lalibre.be/international/moyen-orient/2023/12/16/deces-dun-journaliste-dans-une-attaque-israelienne-a-gaza-sa-famille-en-belgique-souhaite-porter-plainte-aupres-de-la-cour-penale-internationale-LYXC6YZJ6REVHLQTEUXSPM7SW4/) to Belgian media VRT, Yazan, the son of Samer Abu Daqqa, who lives in Belgium gave an interview to the media, stating that he and his family wish to file a complaint against Israel with the International Criminal Court. ## Name of the martyrs : - Samer Abu Daqqa (Journalist) - Nour Saqr (Civile Defense Staff) - Hosni Nabhan (Civile Defense Staff) - Rami Badir (Civile Defense Staff) The journalist Wael al-Dahdouh is injured but survives. **Funerals :**  **Sources :** [1](https://pressgazette.co.uk/news/journalists-killed-israel-gaza-war/) [2](https://cpj.org/data/people/samer-abu-daqqa/) [3](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IetbaIcbyX0&ab_channel=NBCNews) [4](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2023/12/15/israel-hamas-war-live-us-shifts-tone-but-says-israel-support-steadfast) [5](https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2023/12/funeral-held-al-jazeera-journalist-killed-israel-strike) [6](https://realites.com.tn/fr/gaza-le-cameraman-dal-jazeera-samer-abu-daqqa-tombe-en-martyr/) [7](https://www.newarab.com/news/al-jazeera-refer-killing-cameraman-gaza-icc) [8](https://theintercept.com/2024/01/12/al-jazeera-journalist-israel-gaza/) [9](https://yemenfuture.net/researches/23940)

Around 7 December 2023, during Israeli military ground operations in northern Gaza, Israeli forces detained large groups (more than hundreds) of Palestinian men and boys in areas such as Beit Lahiya, Jabaliya, and Gaza City. Many were forced to strip to their underwear, blindfolded, and tied, and were filmed or photographed while sitting or kneeling in the street with their hands behind their heads. Images and videos circulated widely online and in international media, showing dozens of detainees guarded by Israeli soldiers. Some detainees were also loaded onto military trucks and taken to detention sites for interrogation. Witnesses and released detainees said the men were held for hours or days with minimal food or water, sometimes in cold conditions, while soldiers attempted to determine whether they were fighters or civilians. Israeli authorities initially described the scene as the surrender of suspected militants, but relatives, journalists and human-rights organizations identified some of the detainees as civilians, including at least one journalist, Diaa Kahlout, reporter for Qatari media Al Arabi Al Jadeed. The news organisation said Kahlout had been rounded up along with his brothers, relatives and other civilians at the market street in Beit Lahiya, northern Gaza, and then “were forced to strip off their clothes and searched and humiliated before they were taken to an unknown location”. The Committee to Protect Journalists called for his release as Husam Zomlot, head of the Palestinian Mission in London, said on X the images evoked “some of humanity’s darkest passages of history”. Several days later, around December 13, while Diaa Kahlout were not reappared, his home in Beit Lahia has been set on fire by Israeli forces, as his family revealed to The New Arab's Arabic. Israeli forces also burned down apartments belonging to two of his brothers in Gaza. He was finally released withut charge on January 9 2024, after 33 days of torture in Israeli detention camps, where he lost 44 pounds (20 kilos). He recounted his abduction and detention in an [interview for El Pais](https://english.elpais.com/international/2024-02-07/gaza-reporter-recalls-captivity-in-israel-the-worst-33-days-of-my-life.html). Hani Almadhoun, who works at a US charity which raises funds for the UN’s Palestine relief agency, UNRWA, said he recognised his brother, Mahmoud, a shopkeeper, in one video: “I recognised him immediately … and recognised the area as the same area they had been sheltering.” His sister identified his 27-year-old nephew Abood packed in with a bunch of men in the back of a military truck. Almadhoun’s father and 13-year-old nephew, Omar, were also detained. All four were later released, said Hani, who added that none of them had links to militant groups. **Location of the footages:** Reports differ on where the initial images were filmed. An Israeli spokesperson said they were taken near Jabaliya and Shuja’iya, while Palestinians said they were from Beit Lahiya, claiming the men had been detained at two UN schools used as shelters. In one widely shared photo, dozens of men in their underwear are seen kneeling, many blindfolded with their hands tied behind their backs, while Israeli soldiers stand over them. One photo shows soldiers with assault rifles guarding dozens of men kneeling in a line alongside the wall of a building. Another photo shows detainees being lined up in an empty field.  The last video appears to show detainees packed into the back of moving army trucks.   **Human-rights reporting:** Organizations such as Human Rights Watch reported that detainees in Gaza were sometimes stripped, photographed or filmed while semi-nude, calling such treatment degrading and potentially a violation of international law. Around December 13, other pictures surfaces leakes by IDF soldiers, showing Israeli forces detaining hundreds of Palestinians in an open-air pit in northern Gaza, violating the Geneva Convention. The photo, posted on Channel 12 by security correspondent Nir Dvori, shows men in dark clothing inside a red-dirt berm, with some standing under a bright light and soldiers nearby. The location, confirmed by X/Twitter user fdov21, is Beit Lahia, near Gaza University, at coordinates 31.541788, 34.505311. Satellite images match a white-roofed warehouse now partially destroyed. One detainee has been identified as Dr. Khalid Hamoda, a peaceful surgeon.

**Since October 7, Israeli Army abducted hundred of Palestinian alive or Palestinian bodies from the Gaza territories, and returned a certain number of them, in successive waves, without providing any guarantee of identification or respect due to the remains.** According to previous Hebrew Media reports, Israel has been excavating graves to perform DNA tests on bodies and bodies were also decomposing in Sde Teiman concentration camp, it’s not clear where the bodies originated from yet. **No body taken by Israel has so far been identified as that of an Israeli hostage**. [Source](https://x.com/SuppressedNws/status/1838909527514640793) **Thousands of Palestinians are missing**. Their families don't know if they are alive or dead, if they are under the rubbles or abducted by Israel as human shields in Gaza or detained in the detention camps like Sde Teiman or Ketziot in Negev/Al-Naqab. Israel dug a lot of cemeteries in Gaza, since the beginning of the ground invasion. Many corpses are abducted, or desecrated in these places by bulldozers. This way of proceeding with the bodies of the deceased is therefore perceived as **a voluntary desecration and psychological torture preventing the families from mourning and knowing the fate of their loved ones**. **The ultimate stage of dehumanization**. Indeed, the bodies are returned in an advanced state of decomposition, sometimes mixed, very little identified. On September 25, 2024, “The Palestinian Health Ministry said that the Israeli military has deliberately concealed the identity of those Palestinian people. There is no information about their names, genders and the location they have been kidnapped from. The circumstances of their abduction from the Gaza Strip are also unclear" [Source](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/9/25/israeli-attacks-in-gaza-strip-arrests-in-occupied-west-bank) During the ceasefire that began in October 2025, Israel agreed to return 15 Palestinian bodies for every Israeli body handed over by Hamas; most of the returned bodies showed significant signs of desecration, including visible evidence of torture, bound hands, blindfolded eyes, and in some cases, marks suggesting possible organ removal. ******************************* # Chronology ******************************* ## November 22, 2023 - Israel has returned the bodies of **111 Palestinian** civilians (Women, men and children) In Khan Younis, 111 bodies wrapped in bright blue bags, without any identities nor precise origin, arrived in a shipping container on the back of a truck. They were buried the same day in a mass grave in Khan Yunis. - The remains, which bore only numbers, had come from the Indonesian and al-Shifa hospitals in northern Gaza, according to members of the committee at the burial site. According to Mohammed Salem/Reuters. The Al Jazeera Journalist Youmna Elsayed, precised they were detained by the Israeli occupation forces in Al-Shifa Medical Complex and Beit Hanoun Hospital a few days ago. - The families weren't aware nor present. According to Youmna Elsayed the smell was awful, because they were kept out in the premises of al-Shifa, in a morgue without electricity, fuel or solar panel destroyed by the israeli occupation of the hospital. Sources : [1](https://www.palestinechronicle.com/gaza-live-blog-ceasefire-agreement-reached-dozens-of-bodies-pulled-from-rubble-islamic-jihad-all-palestinian-prisoners-must-be-released-israeli-strikes-continue-day-47/) [2](https://www.instagram.com/saber.nuraldin/reel/Cz9rBDbt3Ik/) *** ## December 26, 2023 Israel returned the bodies of **80 Palestinians** to Gaza after confirming they were not Israeli hostages. The bodies were handed over via the Kerem Shalom crossing and buried in Rafah. Gaza authorities are working to identify them and determine when and where they were killed. Israel stated that bodies were taken for forensic identification to rule out Israeli hostages. The ongoing conflict has led to around 21,000 Palestinian deaths, with thousands more feared buried under rubble. [source](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/palestinians-work-identify-80-dead-handed-over-israel-2023-12-27/) **** ## January 30, 2024 - Israel has returned the bodies of **100 Palestinian** civilians who were killed during the ongoing ground Israeli invasion of Gaza. They were delivered in the morning, through the Kerem Shalom crossing. - Quds News Network (@QudsNen ) : A significant number of these bodies were hard to identify, with many arriving as skeletal remains. - WAFA correspondent said that 100 bodies were buried in a mass grave, in the city of Rafah, ome of which were decomposing, of unidentified slain civilians. - The provenance of these bodies are unclear. Israely army had previously stolen the dead bodies from various areas of the Gaza Strip. Some were perhaps stolen by the occupation soldiers from hospitals and cemeteries during their raids on various areas of the Gaza Strip. For instance, Israeli soldiers have be seen stoling 110 bodies from Al-Shifa Hospital and from a cemetery in front of the emergency department in the same hospital in November. - According to medical sources, inspection of some of the bodies showed that the occupation had stolen organs from some of them. - Other sources (Middle East Eye reporting on the ground) speak about "approximately" 80 unidentified Palestinians released to Abu Youssef Al-Najjar Hospital. "Some of the bodies were taken by Israeli forces after they were killed, while others were exhumed from several cemeteries around Gaza, including Al-Shifa cemetery and Al-Nimsawi cemetery in Khan Younis. Pictures were taken of the bodies before burial to facilitate later identification by their families." A testimony said that *"It's the second massgrave here in Rafah, 2 weeks ago another 80 bodies were buried in a cemetery here" "Pictures were taken of each bodies, so they may be identified once the Israeli agression is over"*. It is uncertain if this date correspond to December 26, 2023 or another one. [source WAFA](https://english.wafa.ps/Pages/Details/141199) [source Middle East Eye](https://x.com/MiddleEastEye/status/1752526517215883629) *** ## March 7, 2024 The Israeli occupation hands over the unindentified bodies of **47 Palestinians** through the Israeli-controlled Kerem Shalom crossing who were killed by the Israeli forces and abducted during the ground invasion against Gaza. [source](https://english.wafa.ps/Pages/Details/142298) *** ## April 24, 2024 On April 22, 2024, Palestinian rescue teams recovered 283 bodies from three mass graves at Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Yunis, following the withdrawal of Israeli forces. Among the bodies, many were of women and children, killed during Israeli assaults on the complex. The majority had been buried collectively after being bulldozed by Israeli forces. Hundreds remain missing from the Khan Yunis massacre, with around 2,000 citizens unaccounted for in Gaza. **Sources:** [1](https://www.saba.ye/en/news3323050.htm) [2](https://www.aa.com.tr/fr/monde/lafrique-du-sud-appelle-%C3%A0-ouvrir-une-enqu%C3%AAte-urgente-sur-les-charniers-%C3%A0-gaza-/3200773) *** ## Augustus 5, 2024 "Israel has returned the bodies of nearly **90 Palestinians** killed in its military offensive in the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian Ministry of Health has said. According to Al Jazeera Arabic, the Israeli army has returned the bodies of 84 Palestinians to Gaza through the Karem Abu Salem (Karem Shalom) crossing. Footage verified by Al Jazeera’s fact-checking agency, Sanad, showed mass graves being dug in the Turkish Cemetery in the southern city of Khan Younis to bury them. The bodies were handed over with the participation of the Palestinian Civil Defence in Gaza. They were delivered to Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis before the burial. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has said that it had no involvement in this incident. It was not clear when or how they were killed. According to The Times of Israel newspaper, the Israeli army had seized the bodies for identification, checking whether Israeli captives were among them. Yamen Abu Suleiman, the director of the Palestinian Civil Emergency Service in Khan Younis in southern Gaza, said on Monday that it was unclear whether the bodies had been dug up from cemeteries by the army during the ground offensive, or whether they were *“detainees who had been tortured and killed”. “The occupation provided us with no information about the names, or ages, or anything. This is a war crime, a crime against humanity,”*. He said the bodies would be examined in an attempt to determine the causes of death and to identify them, before being buried in a mass grave at a cemetery near Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis. Gaza’s Government Media Office said Israel had sent 89 bodies as “bones and decomposed bodies in an inhumane manner”. It said Israeli forces had “stolen” 2,000 bodies since October 7 from dozens of cemeteries, which they bulldozed during their ongoing military offensive. The office added that Israeli forces also previously dug up graves in Khan Younis, Jabalia and the Tuffah neighbourhood in Gaza City, and transferred the bodies to “unknown places”, an action amounting to a war crime and a crime against humanity." [source 1](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/8/5/israel-returns-decomposed-bodies-of-89-palestinians-to-gaza) [source 2](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-returns-80-palestinian-bodies-gaza-keeps-up-military-pressure-2024-08-05/) **Press statement issued by the government media office:** *"The "Israeli" occupation army violates the dignity of the bodies of 89 martyrs, handing them skeletons and decomposing bodies.* *In a new crime, the “Israeli” occupation army violated the dignity of the bodies of 89 martyrs of our Palestinian people, which the occupation had previously stolen during the crime of genocide, as it handed over their bodies as skeletons and decomposing bodies, in behavior that shames humanity. In today’s crime against these bodies, the occupation handed over these martyrs in only 35 shrouds, including 13 bodies that they placed in one shroud, and 22 bodies in another shroud, and the rest of the martyrs’ bodies were scattered in several shrouds in a way that was humiliating and degrading the dignity of the martyrs. Over the course of 304 days of the crime of genocide, the occupation had kidnapped more than 2,000 bodies of martyrs and dead from dozens of cemeteries in the governorates of the Gaza Strip, which the occupation bulldozed with bulldozers and military vehicles and turned over their graves, in a scene contrary to humanity and human feeling. The "Israeli" occupation repeated this crime more than once during the genocidal war. It had also previously exhumed graves in Khan Yunis, Jabalia, and Hay al-Tuffah and stole some of the bodies of the martyrs from them. In addition, it still has dozens of bodies in its possession, and it is necessary to remove the bodies and move them to unknown places and change. It is considered a war crime and a crime against humanity and is punishable by international legislation. We condemn in the strongest terms the occupation’s perpetration of this crime that humanity deplores, and we call on international and international organizations to condemn these heinous, brutal crimes. This new crime against humanity is added to a series of crimes committed by the “Israeli” occupation army after the United States of America gave it the green light to carry out killings against civilians, children and women. We hold the occupation and the American administration fully responsible for these crimes, and we demand the formation of an independent international investigation committee. Exactly in the occupation army kidnapping the bodies of the martyrs and stealing their vital organs."* [source](https://x.com/SuppressedNws/status/1820502724716482607) *** ## September 25, 2024 - In the morning, Israeli army loaded the **bodies of 88 Palestinians** it had killed and whose remains it had taken, onto a truck via the Red Cross and sent them to Gaza. According to protocol, documents detailing the place, date of death, and names should be provided with the remains, but Israel is refusing to hand over these documents and information. - The Ministry of Health in Gaza refused to receive the bodies of the Palestinians handed over by Israel to the International Red Cross, due to Israel's failure to provide the necessary documentation and names with the remains. [source](https://x.com/gazanotice/status/1838872610798547045) - Iyad Qadeeh, a media official at the Ministry of Health, said that Wednesday's arrival was the fifth time that authorities had received a truck load of unidentified corpses. - He told Middle East Eye that from now on health officials would refuse to accept any more bodies without identifying information. - A source at the Nasser Hospital told MEE that the truck driver, who had arrived from Karem Abu Salem checkpoint, was barred from entering the hospital and instructed to "go back to where he came from". [source](https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israel-sends-truck-full-decomposed-bodies-gaza-health-ministry-refuses-accept) - The transport company left the container containing 89 martyrs on the main street in front of Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis. Imagine the news, imagine that 89 unidentified martyrs were not accepted by anyone, even the truck driver left them and went away. [source](https://x.com/abdazizmo7amd/status/1838999297133564139) ### **Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor statement**: - Urgent intervention must be made to ensure the burial of dozens of unidentified Palestinian martyrs who were delivered by “Israel” to the Gaza Strip and to discover the circumstances of their death. - We have followed with regret the information that the Israeli occupation army handed over the bodies of 88 Palestinians **in a “container” without any data or information indicating the identity of their owners**, the places of recovery, the time and circumstances of death. - Following the arrival of the bodies in this state, the Ministry of Health in Gaza announced that it had **suspended the procedures for receiving the bodies** until all data and information concerning them are completed to identify their owners and names. - The “container” with the bodies of the martyrs **remained in one of the streets of Khan Yunis**, which is disastrous and could cause a health disaster, and constitutes a serious violation of the rights of the deceased and their families. - We **call for urgent international intervention**, including a full and independent investigation into the circumstances of the martyrdom of these Palestinians, the autopsy of their remains, **their identification and their return to their families for a dignified burial**. - Conducting these investigations is an inevitable international obligation incumbent on all competent international bodies in accordance with international standards. - “Israel” is obliged under international law, in particular international humanitarian law and international human rights law, not to mistreat the dead and their remains, and it must take all necessary measures to determine the identity of the deceased, including registration and record. transmit as much information as possible. - We **call on the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator, the World Health Organization and the Red Cross to immediately take the initiative to bury the victims**, to work with the Israeli occupation to provide information and identify them, and to stop degrading the human dignity of the dead and mistreating them. [source](https://x.com/SafaPs/status/1839014112698814703) ### **Palestinian Ministry of Health Press statement** *With the arrival of a container containing approximately 88 bodies from the Israeli occupation, without any data or information indicating the identity of their owners, the places where they were recovered, or the time of death, the Palestinian Ministry of Health has suspended the procedures for receiving the container until all data and information about these bodies are completed to identify their owners and their names, considering that this is the minimum right of these people and their families. The Ministry of Health calls on human rights and international institutions, headed by the International Committee of the Red Cross, to establish clear procedures that enable the Ministry to receive the bodies, while bringing data and details of these bodies, including names, ages, and the areas from which these bodies were taken. We also emphasize the necessity of receiving the bodies according to humanitarian and international standards and in a manner that preserves the rights and dignity of the owners of these bodies.* Ministry of Health, September 25, 2024, Edited at 4:27 AM ### Journalist Hossam Shabat on X "The bodies have been transported in a dump truck; they are decomposed and unidentifiable. Israeli occupation forces killed them in cold blood and treated their bodies like garbage. The bodies will be buried in mass unmarked graves. If this is not genocide, I don’t know what is." [source](https://x.com/HossamShabat/status/1838979056332661093) ### **Summary of the 6 handover batches** (date — number of bodies handed over to Gaza by Israel): 1. November 22, 2023 – 111 bodies, Khan Yunis via via Kerem Shalom crossing 2. December 26, 2023 – 80 bodies, Rafah via via Kerem Shalom crossing 3. January 30, 2024 – 100 bodies, Rafah via Kerem Shalom crossing (some sources mention ~80 to Abu Youssef Al-Najjar Hospital) 4. March 7, 2024 – 47 bodies, via Kerem Shalom crossing 5. August 5, 2024 – 84–89 bodies, Khan Yunis (delivered to Nasser Medical Complex / Turkish Cemetery) 6. September 25, 2024 – 88 bodies, via Kerem Shalom crossing refused by Gaza MoH initially due to lack of documentation **Hospital mass graves recovered after Israeli military siege and occupation:** On April 22, 2024 – 283 bodies recovered from mass graves at Nasser Medical Complex, Khan Yunis. Subsequent reports, including those from 24–25 April, raised the figure to 392 bodies recovered from three mass graves at the complex. Some victims found at two hospitals were ‘buried alive’ while others were ‘executed’ by the Israeli military. [Source](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/4/25/signs-of-torture-as-nearly-400-bodies-found-at-gaza-hospitals-mass-graves) [Source](https://mronline.org/2024/09/21/amid-the-ongoing-genocide-euro-med-monitor-documents-the-most-prominent-mass-graves-in-gaza/) On 11 May 2024 the Palestinian Ministry of Health reported “80 bodies in three mass graves in the courtyards of Al-Shifa” [Source](https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/over-520-bodies-found-in-7-mass-graves-in-gaza-hospitals-health-ministry/3216606) ***** # Palestinian bodies returned in the frame of the "ceasefire exchange" Under the ceasefire deal, Israel is to hand over 15 bodies of Palestinians for each deceased Israeli captive. *** ## **October 14, 2025: The "Prisoner Exchange" That Returned 45 Corpses** According to CNN, **45 bodies** unidentified bodies of deceased Palestinians were transferred from Israel to the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis, according to the hospital’s forensic department. The International Committee of the Red Cross facilitated the transfer as part of an Israel–Gaza detainee and hostage exchange. It remains unclear how, where, or when the individuals died. The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza said Israel has not provided a list of names, and the bodies arrived numbered rather than named — with their hands and legs cuffed, and some showing signs of gunshot wounds or being run over by tanks. The hospital plans to work with families of missing persons to identify the remains. The Palestinian Center for the Missing and Forcibly Disappeared Persons urged Israel to disclose the victims’ identities and the circumstances of their deaths. Bodies were transferred through Kisufim crossing with coordination of International Committee of Red Cross *"As part of the Gaza prisoner exchange with bodies of the Israeli hostages, 45 bodies of Palestinians abducted by the Israeli occupation during the genocide have arrived at Nasser Medical Complex. This is not an exchange, it's a delivery of evidence. Israel didn't release detainees; it returned the dead it had disappeared, tortured, and silenced in captivity. These weren't prisoners of war with charges. Many were civilians snatched from homes, shelters, and hospitals, vanished without trial, buried without names, and now returned as corpses to complete a deal. Western media will count numbers and call it a swap, but Gaza reads it differently: these are martyrs kidnapped alive and sent back cold to inflate statistics and polish a ceasefire narrative. Even in death, Palestinians are used as bargaining chips, their bodies traded to sanitize the image of an occupying army still holding thousands in cages."* [Source](https://x.com/Awakeningmedia1/status/1978112338705199382) According to [Drop Site News](https://www.dropsitenews.com/p/palestinians-executions-trump-argentina-milei-nurses-strike-drop-site-daily), Forensic authorities in Gaza on Wednesday started the identification process of 45 bodies of Palestinians that Israel released on Tuesday, according to the health ministry. Israel handed over the bodies through the Red Cross without identification. It was not immediately known if they were Palestinians who died in Israeli prisons or bodies taken from Gaza by Israeli troops. Health officials in Gaza reportedly said the bodies arrived with signs of gunshot wounds and their hands and legs cuffed, and some still had blindfolds on. Several of the bodies bore signs of field executions and others were found with tank tracks on them, according to Al Jazeera.**The Palestinian Center for the Missing and Forcibly Disappeared Persons** urged Israel on Tuesday to provide all available information on bodies returned to Gaza, including “names of the victims and details about the circumstances of their deaths.” The health ministry said it didn’t add the 45 bodies that Israel transferred to Gaza on Tuesday to its tally. *** ## **October 15, 2025**: The "Prisoner Exchange": additional 45 Corpses An additional **45 bodies** of dead Palestinians were handed over by Israel on Wednesday, according to the health ministry, bringing the total number handed over to 90. Footage obtained by Drop Site on Wednesday showed refrigerated trucks and International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) vehicles waiting at the Kissufim crossing to transport the bodies of dozens of Palestinians to Gaza. [source](https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/gaza-s-health-ministry-receives-remains-of-45-palestinians-from-israel-via-red-cross/3718051) *** **** ## **October 16, 2025: Israel returned 30 Corpses** In the afternoon, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), delivered the third consecutive batch with 30 bodies on Thursday, including dozens of unidentified remains. [source](https://english.alarabiya.net/News/middle-east/2025/10/16/israel-returns-30-palestinian-bodies-to-gaza-health-ministry-hospital-) Dr. Munir Al-Bursh, Director General of the Ministry of Health in Gaza, declared: “The bodies we received were bound like animals, blindfolded, and bore horrific signs of torture and burns that reveal the extent of the crimes committed in secret. They did not die naturally; they were executed after being restrained. These people were not buried underground, they were kept in the occupation’s refrigerators for long months.” A forensic doctor confirmed that 120 bodies were received, only six of which have been identified. He described the condition of most of the remains as catastrophic, citing numerous examples of torture and execution among detainees. For instance, body number H32 NMC 14/10/2025 showed clear signs of execution by hanging after being tied and blindfolded, with evident torture marks on the body. Other corpses showed severe burns and plastic restraints on the wrists and ankles. The doctor said, “I have never seen such scenes before, even after years of experience in this field.” **On October 16, 2025**, the Director General of Hospitals at the Ministry of Health in Gaza, speaking to Al Jazeera: "We have received the bodies of martyrs showing clear signs of torture as well as marks from tank chains. We are encountering great difficulties in identifying the bodies of the martyrs. So far, we have been able to identify only 6 martyrs out of a total of 120. Our cold storage facilities can only preserve the bodies for one week. We will therefore be forced to bury the martyrs within a week." **Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor investigation and statement:** The organisation documented evidence indicating that many victims were tortured, abused, and in some cases executed after detention — acts that constitute grave violations of international law and demand an urgent, independent investigation. Forensic and medical examinations showed signs of hanging, close-range gunfire, burns, fractures, bound limbs, and other forms of torture. Some bodies appeared crushed by tanks. "Given the current situation in the Gaza Strip, there are no effective mechanisms to identify the victims or investigate the circumstances of their detention, torture, and killing, prolonging the suffering of families and deepening the uncertainty and grief of those with missing relatives—especially since dozens of the bodies remain unidentified." It called for immediate international forensic missions, DNA identification efforts, and psychological support for affected families. The group described a broader pattern of systematic torture, executions, and dehumanisation of Palestinian detainees, arguing that these practices may constitute elements of genocide under international law. The organisation urged the UN Commission of Inquiry and the International Criminal Court to include these cases in ongoing investigations into Israel’s actions in Gaza, and called on the international community to ensure accountability, warning that silence or inaction would erode the credibility of international justice. *** ## **On October 18, 2025**, **15 bodies** of Palestinians were handed over by the israelis via the International Red Cross, bringing the total number of dead bodies received to 135. The Gaza Health Ministry stated that its medical teams are following forensic protocols to examine, document, and identify the returned bodies before handing them to families. Some of the bodies showed signs of abuse, including beatings, bound hands, and blindfolds. So far, seven victims have been identified through an online system the ministry created to match remains with missing persons. Due to limited forensic resources, the ministry launched this online portal—featuring censored photos—to help families recognize their relatives remotely. [source](https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/gaza-health-ministry-receives-remains-of-15-more-palestinians-from-israel/3720400) *** ## **On October 19, 2025** Officials from the Ministry of Health in Gaza received the bodies of **15 Palestinians** from Israel as part of the ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement at Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis.bringing the total number of bodies received since the start of the handover operations to 150. In a press statement, the ministry clarified that the handover process was facilitated by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and that medical teams are continuing to process the bodies in preparation for examination, documentation, and delivery to the martyrs’ families. The statement indicated that some of the bodies bear “clear signs of torture and abuse,” including marks of beatings, bruises, and shackling, reflecting severe violations the martyrs were subjected to. [Source](https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/gaza-health-ministry-receives-remains-of-15-more-palestinians-from-israel-under-ceasefire-deal/3721034) **On October 21, 2025**, Women Journalists Without Chains affirms in a statement that these fatal abuses and disappearances form part of a broader policy of extermination against the Palestinian people. The physical evidence recovered from the returned bodies, coupled with testimonies from released detainees, provides irrefutable proof of torture, execution, and systematic ill-treatment. [Source](htps://wjwc.org/solidarity-statement-en/graves-without-names-crimes-without-shame-wjwc-demands-justice) *** ## **On October 22, 2025**, The Red Cross announced it had helped transfer **15 Palestinian bodies** from #Israeli prisons to Gaza under the #ceasefire agreement, bringing the total number of bodies returned to 165. Head of the Government Media Office in Gaza satets that "the occupation stole organs from the bodies of some of the martyrs", "We received 165 bodies of martyrs who were subjected to torture and field executions". "We will bury the bodies of 54 martyrs whose identities we could not identify", "Out of 90 bodies we received, we identified only 36 of them" "We do not have DNA testing equipment to identify the identities of the martyrs' bodies" The remains of **30 Palestinians** returned to Gaza by Israel through the Red Cross, bringing to 195 the number of bodies returned since 10 October. The Palestinian health ministry announced the return on Wednesday, as part of a ceasefire agreement which stipulates that Israel must hand over the bodies of 15 Palestinians for every dead Israeli returned. [source Anadolou](https://x.com/AohrUk/status/1981044834300547339) **Press Statement No. (1011) Issued by the Government Media Office:** "The Israeli occupation continues to withhold the bodies of hundreds of Palestinian martyrs and has returned 165 bodies, most of whom were subjected to torture and field executions.Today, we stand in reverence, pride, and deep respect for the martyrs of our great Palestinian people. We bow in honor of the civil defense personnel, the medical teams, the journalists and media crews, and our steadfast Palestinian people. We announce the organization of this major national event, during which we will bury the bodies of 54 martyrs whose remains were withheld by the Israeli occupation during its genocidal war against the Gaza Strip. The returned bodies show clear signs of brutal torture, field execution, and physical liquidation — crimes that add to the long record of war crimes and blatant violations of the Fourth Geneva Convention and international humanitarian law. The bodies to be buried today were difficult to identify and have reached the legally designated period. After full documentation of the bodies and their belongings — numbering 54 — they will be buried in a cemetery in the Deir al-Balah area, in numbered and recorded graves. During this event, the funeral prayer will be performed over the martyrs’ bodies, led by Sheikh Ihsan Ashour, Mufti of Khan Younis Governorate, followed by the funeral procession to the mass grave in Deir al-Balah City, with broad official and public participation. The burial will be conducted with official ceremonies, under the supervision of specialized committees, followed by the recitation of Surat Al-Fatiha and prayers for the noble martyrs who are more honorable than all of us. Official examinations and field observations documented by governmental and human rights bodies have confirmed that the occupation committed heinous violations against the martyrs, including: • Rope marks and signs of hanging on the necks of many of the martyrs’ bodies. • Direct gunshots from very close range, indicating deliberate field executions. • Hands and feet tied with plastic restraints prior to execution. • Blindfolded eyes and physical evidence suggesting the victims were detained before being executed. • Bodies crushed under the tracks of Israeli occupation tanks. • Signs of torture, burns, fractures, and deep wounds confirming the use of brutal methods against detainees. These documented crimes constitute conclusive evidence of extrajudicial executions and represent a grave violation of all humanitarian norms and international conventions. We strongly condemn this horrific and deliberate crime committed by the Israeli occupation and hold it — along with all states complicit in the ongoing genocide — fully responsible for these atrocious acts. We call upon the international community, the International Criminal Court, and all international judicial, legal, and human rights organizations to immediately form an independent international investigation committee and to prosecute the leaders of the Israeli occupation before the ICC for war crimes, genocide, and ethnic cleansing against our Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip. We also urge all national and international media outlets to provide extensive and in-depth coverage of this major national event, to document the scene of the mass burial, expose the scale of the crime to the world, and support Palestinian efforts to criminalize and legally prosecute the occupation." Government Media Office / Gaza Strip – Palestine : Wednesday, October 22, 2025 **Statement of the Ministry of Health about identification:** On October 26, 2025, MoH states that "so far, 64 bodies of martyrs have been identified out of a total of 195 bodies, among the batches of remains released and received from the Israeli occupation". **** ## **On October 27, 2025**, More than **40 unidentified Palestinian bodies** were returned to Gaza as part of the exchange deal while 50 unindentified corpses from the precedent days were sadly buried in a mass graves. According to Al Jazeera, Gaza’s Health Ministry has opened a special office to identify the remains of slain Palestinians returned by Israeli forces under the ceasefire agreement. The ministry has therefore urged families of missing relatives to visit Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City or use a newly launched online portal displaying censored images for remote identification. [source](https://english.palinfo.com/news/2025/10/27/350565/) **** ## **On October 31, 2025,** Nasser Hospital in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis said Friday 31 October, that it received the bodies of 30 Palestinians released by Israel through the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), raising the total number of bodies received to 225 since Oct. 14 under the ceasefire deal. [Source](https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/gaza-hospital-receives-bodies-of-30-palestinians-released-by-israel/3731654) According to [Islam Bader](https://x.com/islambader_1988/status/1984528016387485995), only 70 bodies among the 225 returned during the current ceasefire agreement were identified by the relatives. **** ## **On November 3, 2025,** Israel returned **45 additional Palestinian bodies** it had been holding, shortly after Palestinian authorities returned the bodies of three Israeli captives (Forensic tests confirmed that the remains were those of Col Asaf Hamami, 40, Capt Omer Neutra, 21, and Staff Sgt Oz Daniel, 19). The 45 Palestinian unidentified bodies were transferred to Nasser Hospital, bringing the total received to 270. Five Palestinian prisoners were also freed and taken to a hospital in Deir al-Balah for medical evaluation, Al Jazeera reported. [source](https://indianexpress.com/article/world/israel-receives-remains-of-three-soldiers-hands-over-bodies-of-45-palestinian-10343774) **** ## **On November 5, 2025,** Gaza’s Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Yunis states that “The tenth batch of the bodies of Palestinian martyrs has arrived at Nasser Medical Complex in the Gaza Strip, numbering 15 martyrs,” the hospital said in a statement, noting that 285 bodies were received under the agreement in total. They were returned in exchange for the latest hostage body handed back from Gaza on Tuesday, that of Israeli-American soldier Itay Chen. [source](https://www.dawn.com/news/1953318) **** ## **On November 8, 2025,** Gaza’s Health Ministry said Saturday that it had received the remains of **15 Palestinians** released by Israel via the International Committee of the Red Cross under a ceasefire agreement. A ministry statement said that the new transfer brought the number of Palestinian bodies returned by Israel to 300 since the ceasefire took effect on Oct. 10. Forensic teams have so far identified 89 bodies and are continuing examinations “in accordance with approved medical procedures and protocols” before the remains are documented and released to families, the ministry said. [Source](https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/gaza-receives-remains-of-15-more-palestinians-from-israel-under-ceasefire-deal/3738540) **** ## **On November 10, 2025,** Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza reports it has received **15 bodies of Palestinians** handed over today by the Israeli occupation through the Red Cross, bringing the total number received to 315. This is the 13th batch of bodies of slain people released by the occupation authorities since the ceasefire agreement in Gaza on October 11, 2020. So far, between 89 and 91 bodies have been identified. the sae day, 38 unidentified bodies were buried in the ‘Cemetery of the Unknowns,’ raising the total number of unknown victims buried to 182. [source](https://english.wafa.ps/Pages/Details/164247) **Statement of Director-General of Gaza’s Health Ministry:** “We have received **315 bodies** so far, and only 89 of them have been identified through clothing or a wedding ring or simple markings. Yesterday, we received a new body that had been mauled by trained predatory dogs, and the marks of the attack were clearly visible. Some bodies arrived without heads, some were crushed under military bulldozers, and some were found with their hands tied and eyes blindfolded, with close-range gunshot wounds to the head and chest. There is also clear evidence of organ theft through precise surgical incisions, with the heart, liver, kidneys, and corneas removed. We buried 182 bodies in a mass grave after taking samples as much as our limited resources allowed. We requested cooling facilities from the Red Cross, and they brought us refrigerators used for fish, which we were forced to use temporarily to preserve the dignity of the bodies and allow families time to identify them. International investigation committees must be activated to hold the occupation accountable, identify the unknown, and document these crimes in a legally recognized manner.” [source](https://x.com/DropSiteNews/status/1988747836704412103) *** ## **On November 14, 2025,**, **15 bodies** of Palestinian martyrs arrived at Nasser Medical Complex as part of the thirteenth batch of the body exchange deal, bringing the total number of bodies received to 330 martyrs." The same day, the bodies of 15 unidentified Palestinians returned by Israel were laid to rest in a cemetery in Deir al-Balah after it became impossible to determine their identities due to the condition of the remains. Civil defense teams and Red Cross carried out the burials. **On November 23**, Civil defence teams buried 14 additional unidentified Palestinian bodies in Deir al Balah. **** ##**On November 26, 2025:** Israel returns the bodies of 15 Palestinian prisoners under the ceasefire exchange deal; Gaza health ministry The Ministry of Health confirmed receiving 15 new bodies from the israeli occupation via the Red Cross, bringing the total to 345. 99 bodies have been identified so far. Medical teams continue examinations and documentation before bodies are released to families. [Source ](https://www.icrc.org/en/news-release/israel-and-occupied-territories-release-and-transfer-operations-under-ceasefire-agreement-completed) **** **On January 29, 2026**, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) facilitated the transfer of 15 Palestinian bodies from Israeli custody back to Gaza under the terms of the U.S.-brokered ceasefire and hostage-swap agreement. These bodies were received at Gaza’s hospitals (such as Al-Shifa Medical Complex), and Palestinian health officials said this brought the total number of Palestinian bodies returned by Israel under the ceasefire process to 360. The transfer took place shortly after the body of the last Israeli hostage (Ran Gvili) was recovered and returned to Israel — effectively completing the first phase of the ceasefire deal. [Source](https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/gaza-receives-remains-of-15-more-palestinians-from-israel-under-ceasefire-deal/3739991) * **** * ### **Summary of the 15 handover batches** (date — number of bodies handed over to Gaza by Israel - Total ): 1. 14 Oct 2025 — 45 bodies. 2. 15 Oct 2025 — 45 bodies —> 90 bodies 3. 16 Oct 2025 — 30 bodies —> 120 bodies 4. 18 Oct 2025 — 15 bodies —> 135 bodies 5. 19 Oct 2025 — 15 bodies —> 150 bodies 6. 22 Oct 2025 — 15 bodies —> 165 bodies 7. 27 Oct 2025 — 30 bodies —> 195 bodies 8. 31 Oct 2025 — 30 bodies —> 225 bodies 9. 03 Nov 2025 — 45 bodies —> 270 bodies 10. 05 Nov 2025 — 15 bodies —> 285 bodies 11. 08 Nov 2025 — 15 bodies —> 300 bodies 12. 10 Nov 2025 — 15 bodies —> 315 bodies 13. 14 Nov 2025 — 15 bodies —> 330 bodies 14. 26 Nov 2025 — 15 bodies —> 345 bodies 15. 30 Jan 2026 — 15 bodies —> 360 bodies 16. 4 Feb 2026 — 54 bodies —> 414 bodies *** **Statement of the Forensic Evidence Spokesperson in Gaza, Mahmoud Ashour:** (February 2, 2026) The condition of the latest batch of bodies handed over by the occupation was extremely gruesome. The bodies were in no better condition than previous batches; they were decomposed and bore signs of torture. Several bodies were found without clothing, confirming the occupation's violations of human rights and dignity under mysterious circumstances. Gunshot and explosion wounds were observed on a number of the bodies handed over by the occupation. The forensic teams have completed the examination and documentation procedures for the bodies received through the International Committee of the Red Cross. Forensic teams received 15 more bodies, bringing the total number of bodies received to 360. Only 101 bodies have been identified due to a lack of the necessary equipment to identify the remaining bodies. This latest batch was received under the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip. We are beginning a new chapter of suffering for the families of the missing, as we lack the necessary equipment to conduct examinations, identify the bodies, and bury the martyrs with dignity. We call on the international community and the Gaza Peace Council to pressure the occupation authorities to allow the entry of the equipment, machinery, scientific devices, and laboratories necessary for conducting DNA tests. We call for the establishment of a database of the families of the missing in the Gaza Strip to help end this humanitarian crisis. ## **Return of human remains after February 2, 2026** **On February 5, 2026, ** Israel returned dozens of Palestinian bodies and human remains to Gaza without providing any information about their identities or how they were killed, according to Palestinian medical officials.The remains arrived at al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City in plain white bags and were sent to be examined by forensic teams in an effort to identify them and provide answers to grieving families. **Statement of the director of the Ministry of health, Dr. Munir Al-Bursh, in Gaza:** *“What law permits returning a human being as scattered remains? A short while ago, 54 bodies of martyrs arrived at Al-Shifa Medical Complex, accompanied by 66 boxes containing human remains and body parts, released via the Red Cross. This is not a passing news item, but a shocking moment that tests what remains of this world’s conscience. What kind of scene is this, where we stand before sealed boxes, searching inside them for the features of our children? How are we to restore names to bodies when we lack the necessary examination tools, and even the minimum medical and forensic capabilities that would allow us to identify them or document them in a manner befitting human dignity? We are not dealing with numbers recorded in reports, but with fathers and mothers, sons and daughters, each with a name, a memory, a dream, and a home that still waits. That they are returned as fragments, and that their bodies are handed over in boxes, is not merely a procedural violation, but a moral and humanitarian crime, and a blatant breach of all international laws and conventions ever established to protect human dignity, in life and in death. On previous occasions, bodies were recovered bearing signs of mutilation and torture. Today, the bodies are returned dismembered, as if the aim was not only to end life, but to erase identity, break memory, and humiliate the living before the dead. We are not demanding the impossible, nor seeking any special privilege. We demand a basic right: that a human being be returned as a human being, that the body be preserved, that dignity be safeguarded, and that the laws the world claims to uphold be respected. For when these principles are trampled, it is not Gaza alone that is humiliated, but all of humanity.”* *** ## **Israeli Policy about Palestinian corpses:** Israel Law enforces the use of Palestinian bodies as political leverage, a policy formally adopted by Netanyahu’s government in 2017 and upheld by the Supreme Court. The policy authorizes the military to retain bodies, desecrate them, and impose degrading restrictions on their release. Dozens of bodies are currently held in refrigeration units at Israel’s National Center for Forensic Medicine, with their release conditioned on inhumane requirements such as nighttime burials, bans on public funerals, and the delivery of mutilated or frozen remains. Roughly 1,500 from Gaza reportedly stored at the Sde Teiman military camp according to an Haaretz report published in July 2025. According to the *Palestinian National Campaign to Retrieve the Bodies of Martyrs*, Israel continues to detain the remains of at least 479 Palestinians, including 256 buried in secret military graveyards known as “cemeteries of numbers.” These sites, established in the late 1960s, strip victims of identity and dignity, replacing names with numbered plaques and withholding all records from families—a policy of erasure emblematic of Israel’s systematic dehumanization of Palestinians. Since October 2023, at least 79 detainees have died in Israeli prisons, while hundreds remain forcibly disappeared, evidencing torture, execution, and systematic abuse. ## **Suspicions of organs traffic** The kidnapping of the bodies of slain civilians from the Gaza Strip renews suspicions among the Palestinian medias and people that the Israeli occupation is stealing organs from the bodies of killed Palestinians. WAFA article notes that, in 2009, Israeli media revealed that the occupying state owns the largest human skin bank in the world, and years later, the director of the Israeli Skin Bank told Israeli Channel 10 in March 2014 that the bank’s skin reserve amounts to about 170 square meters. These numbers are considered illogical in Israel as its population refuses to donate organs, for reasons and religious beliefs, ranking it third in the world and raising doubts about the source of these organs. Yehuda Hess, who was director of the Israeli Forensic Medicine Institute, admitted in a 2009 documentary about the Palestinian issue to his participation in stealing organs from the bodies of slain Palestinians After the exchange deal of October 2025, these suspicions of organ harvesting were renewed. Dr. Ismail Al-Thawabta, Director General of the Government Media Office in Gaza, claimed: “We also have serious suspicions that Israel has stolen organs from some of these martyrs — corneas, livers, and other internal organs — which were clearly missing when the bodies were examined.” On November 9, in an interview with Al Jazeera English and Arabic , Dr. Ghassan Abu Sitta revealed medical evidence indicating that vital organs — including hearts, lungs, kidneys, and corneas — were surgically stolen by the Israeli occupation from Palestinian martyrs in Gaza. Dr. Ghassan Abu Sittah told Al Jazeera he was “sent photographs of the bodies that were received by the Palestinian Ministry of Health from the Israeli army.” “The bodies show clearly surgically removed lungs, heart, kidneys and liver – done in a professional, surgical way, using sharp bone saws, causing zero damage to surrounding tissues,” “These bodies also had liquid nitrogen burns on their skin, but no other injuries. It’s unlikely the organs were retrieved post-mortem. All of these bodies belonged to Palestinians whose families said they had been imprisoned alive. So all of this is highly indicative of organ harvesting.” Abu Sittah noted that “every organ was removed as if ready for transplant.” Abu Sittah said the photographs were taken on October 17, shortly after Israel handed over 120 bodies. Abu Sittah’s comments support reports by the Gaza Government Media Office director, Ismail al-Thawabta, who also reported that Israeli forces stole organs from Palestinian corpses and called for an immediate international investigation. [Source 1](https://english.wafa.ps/Pages/Details/141199) [Source 2](https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/israel-hands-back-stolen-palestinian-bodies-missing-organs-report) [Source 3](https://x.com/DropSiteNews/status/1979232733596422247) On July 2026, "after nearly three years of genocide, around 8,000 Gazans are still missing, according to the Palestinian Center for Missing and Forcibly Disappeared Persons. But those numbers primarily rely on reports from relatives. The real figure is almost certainly higher because entire families have been killed in Gaza, leaving no one to report their disappearance. Out of the 5,400 tracing requests submitted by families in Gaza through HaMoked, more than 1,800 residents remain unaccounted for after the Israeli military provided no indication that they had been arrested or detained. Tal Steiner, Hamoked’s executive director, believes most of those still missing are likely dead, though it remains unclear whether they were killed in impromptu detention sites inside Gaza, in Israeli military custody, in combat zones, as a result of being used by the Israeli army as human shields, or whether they are still entombed in rubble from Israeli airstrikes. Some of them may have been among the unidentified bodies later returned to Gaza." According to Naji Abbas, director of the prisoners and detainees department at Physicians for Human Rights–Israel (PHRI), it took the Israeli military seven months merely to respond to the organization’s request for the number of detainees who had died in military detention facilities. As of now, 104 Palestinians, including 70 from Gaza, are confirmed to have died in IPS and military custody, according to Abbas. But PHRI believes the true number is far greater, in part because the army refused to provide information about detainees in its custody for the first nine months of the war. In that period, Abbas told +972, Israel exercised “a systematic policy of killing Palestinians [in Israeli custody].” “The system of detainee registration, and then the system of information dissemination, are both very, very messy and flawed,” said Avshalom Matalon, who researches enforced disappearances of Palestinians for HaMoked. Matalon added that the process should have been overseen by the ICRC, but Israel banned the organization from visiting Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons and concealed information about their whereabouts throughout the war, inhibiting one of the only mechanisms of accountability.[source](https://www.972mag.com/gaza-palestinian-bodies-israel-transfer-chaos/)