38 Unidentified Palestinians Buried in Gaza Showing Signs of Torture and Beheading

Gaza (QNN)- Palestinian authorities in Gaza buried 38 unidentified bodies on Monday in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza. Israel had returned the bodies in recent days through the International Committee of the Red Cross.

The Ministry of Health in Gaza said the total number of unidentified Palestinians buried since the genocide began has now reached 182.

Civil Defense teams, along with staff from the ministries of Health and Religious Endowments, and a delegation from the International Committee of the Red Cross, took part in the burial and funeral process.

Mohammad Abu Shammala, Deputy Director of Civil Defense in the central province, said the bodies had been transferred earlier to Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis. “They remained there for several days while photos and ID numbers were published in hopes families could recognize them,” he said.

Severe Torture and Beheadings

Abu Shammala said none of the 38 bodies could be identified because of the long period they were held and the severe torture and mutilation they suffered.

“Some had clear signs of tank shells and explosives, others were decapitated or had their faces completely disfigured, making recognition impossible,” he said.

He added that most bodies showed signs of binding and hanging. “Many had their hands and legs tied, and some still had ropes around their necks even at the time of burial,” Abu Shammala explained.

Despite the horrific condition of the bodies, he said, “We buried them with dignity, despite the harsh circumstances we live under.”

According to the Ministry of Health, Israel has returned 315 bodies so far, but families managed to identify only 91. Most rely on physical features, clothing, or personal items to recognize their loved ones since Gaza’s forensic labs and testing equipment were destroyed in Israeli bombings.

Before the ceasefire, Israel was holding 735 Palestinian bodies, according to the National Campaign to Retrieve the Bodies of Martyrs and Reveal the Fate of the Missing.

The campaign cited a Haaretz report published on July 16, 2024, which said the Israeli army also keeps around 1,500 additional bodies of Palestinians from Gaza at the notorious Sde Teiman military base, without specifying when they were seized.

Human rights groups say several abductees from Gaza died under torture in Israeli custody since the start of the genocide on October 8, 2023.

Israel’s ongoing genocide on Gaza has killed more than 69,000 Palestinians and injured over 170,000. The genocide has also destroyed around 90% of Gaza’s civilian infrastructure, leaving hospitals, laboratories, and morgues in ruins.

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