Doctors in Gaza have reported that many of the 90 Palestinian bodies returned by Israeli authorities under the ceasefire deal show signs of torture and execution, including blindfolds, bound hands, and bullet wounds to the head. The bodies were transferred through the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) as part of a US-brokered truce, during which Hamas also handed over the remains of some deceased Israeli hostages.
Dr Ahmed al-Farra, head of the paediatric department at Nasser hospital in Khan Younis, said almost all the bodies had been blindfolded and had gunshot wounds between the eyes. He described scars and discoloured patches of skin indicating beatings before death, as well as signs of post-mortem abuse. The bodies were returned with numbered labels but no names, leaving hospitals in Gaza, which lack DNA analysis capabilities, unable to identify them.
Hospital authorities criticised the lack of identification, suggesting it prolongs the suffering of families. The Israel Defense Forces referred inquiries to the Israel Prison Service, which has been approached for comment. The International Criminal Court is investigating war crime allegations by both sides in the two-year conflict, including the killing of 15 Palestinian paramedics found in a shallow grave with bound hands and gunshot wounds to the head.
The return of bodies has been a major stumbling block in implementing the ceasefire. Israel has slowed humanitarian aid entry due to delays in the transfer of 28 Israeli hostage bodies, claiming one returned body was not a hostage. Hamas stated it has handed over all deceased hostages it can reach, as the Israeli military confirmed the Red Cross received two more bodies in Gaza.
