Gaza farewells the known dead bodies under the Israeli strikes .The central Gaza Strip city of Deir el-Balah was enveloped in a somber, wrenching atmosphere as a mass funeral was held this week for dozens of unidentified Palestinians whose bodies were returned by Israel under a recent ceasefire agreement.
The harrowing scenes underscore the brutal toll of the ongoing conflict, with many of the deceased bearing physical signs that made identification nearly impossible, forcing grieving families to endure unimaginable uncertainty and pain.
This tragic ceremony, marked by the preparation of mass graves, represents a grim chapter in the continuing process of returning bodies to Gaza, further highlighting the desperate need for a lasting cessation of hostilities and independent investigation into the circumstances of these deaths.
Headline Points
 • Mass Graves Prepared: Dozens of unidentified Palestinian bodies were interred in mass graves in Deir el-Balah, central Gaza, after being returned by Israeli authorities.
 • Identification Challenges: Many of the remains were badly mutilated or decomposed, leaving health officials and families unable to confirm identities through visual inspection.
 • Allegations of Abuse: Gaza’s government media office and medical staff reported that some bodies bore visible signs of torture, execution, and extreme abuse, including binding marks and gunshot wounds, allegations Israel has been called upon to investigate.
 • Ceasefire Exchange: The repatriation of the bodies is part of the US-brokered ceasefire agreement that includes the exchange of bodies of deceased combatants and prisoners.
 • DNA Testing Hindered: Limited or non-existent forensic capabilities in Gaza, due to years of blockade and wartime destruction, severely hamper the process of using DNA to identify the deceased.
A Somber and Wrenching Process
The funeral procession, organised by Gaza’s civil defence agency, began at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis and proceeded to a cemetery in Deir el-Balah.
Here, amidst collective grief, the bodies of 54 unidentified Palestinians, clad in white shrouds, were laid to rest in a sandy mass grave site.
These remains are part of a larger consignment of bodies—numbering nearly 200—that Israel has handed over to the Gaza Health Ministry since the ceasefire took effect.
Of the latest group of returned bodies, Gaza’s Health Ministry confirmed that only 57 had been successfully identified by relatives, based on remnants of clothing or other personal items.
The remaining 54, which could not be identified due to severe mutilation and degradation, were buried collectively.
The emotional burden on the families attempting to identify their loved ones is immense.
One Palestinian woman, Huda Hammad, shared her despair with reporters, explaining that she visits the morgues daily in a desperate attempt to identify a relative.
“We could not [identify him] as there were no features left,” she stated, adding that some bodies were dismembered or mutilated, which underscores the necessity of DNA testing—a resource that is largely unavailable in the besieged enclave.
Serious Allegations Surface
The ceremony was overshadowed by serious allegations raised by local Palestinian officials and doctors.
Ismail Al-Thawabta, director of the Gaza Government Media Office, told a press conference that the bodies exhibited “conclusive evidence of field executions.
” He specifically mentioned finding signs of torture, including hanging marks, ropes around necks, and close-range gunshot wounds on some of the deceased.
These claims are partially supported by earlier reports from Gaza health officials that at least 135 of the mutilated bodies returned had been held at the Sde Teiman military base, an Israeli detention facility in the Negev desert that has previously faced allegations of torture and unlawful deaths in custody.
Documents found inside some of the body bags reportedly indicated their origin from the facility.
Dr. Munir al-Bursh, the Director-General of the Gaza Health Ministry, and spokespersons for hospitals examining the remains, have publicly stated that the evidence clearly suggests acts of
“murder, summary executions, and systematic torture.”
Photographs reviewed by media outlets, which were too graphic for public release, reportedly showed victims blindfolded with their hands tied behind their backs, and one body with a rope secured around the neck.
Calls for International Investigation
The tragic circumstances surrounding the returned bodies have led to urgent calls for an independent international investigation. Mr. Al-Thawabta specifically appealed to the international community and the International Criminal Court (ICC) to step in, investigate the grim discoveries, and hold those responsible for potential war crimes accountable.
The lack of forensic capabilities in Gaza only compounds the tragedy and the difficulty of establishing a factual record. Due to the years-long Israeli blockade and the destruction caused by the recent war, the territory lacks the necessary DNA testing equipment and facilities.
This forces medical teams to rely on primitive methods for identification, leaving many families with no conclusive evidence of their relatives’ fate.
As the ceasefire continues, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza remains dire. The ongoing process of returning and burying the deceased, and the profound grief surrounding these somber scenes, is a stark and painful reminder of the war’s devastating impact on the civilian population and the urgent need for a permanent, negotiated peace.
The return of these bodies has not brought closure, but has instead deepened the humanitarian crisis and fuelled the demand for global accountability.
———-
The CJ Global newspaper is committed to providing accurate and detailed reports on the conflict, adhering to the highest standards of UK journalism.
