The health ministry in Gaza on Thursday accused the Israeli army of treating exhumed bodies in an inhumane manner, claiming it deposited a container containing scores of dead Palestinians without proper documentation.
The Israeli army denied the accusation, stating that its policy is to treat the bodies of the deceased 'with dignity and respect'. Israel routinely removes bodies from Gaza to ascertain if they are hostages taken during Hamas's October 7 attack.
'The hostage identification process, conducted at a secure and alternative location, ensures optimal professional conditions and respect for the deceased,' the army statement read. 'Bodies determined not to be those of hostages are returned with dignity and respect.'
However, the Gaza health ministry alleged that the Israeli army sent back a container on Wednesday containing 88 bodies 'without any data or information that could help identify' them. The ministry accused Israel of 'exhuming graves and stealing bodies', holding Israel 'fully responsible for the inhumane and unethical treatment of the bodies'.
An AFP photographer witnessed a crowd gathered around the bodies on Thursday as they were unloaded from a truck, wrapped in blue tarp. Hisham Mhanna, spokesperson for the International Committee of the Red Cross, said it was not involved in the transfer of 88 bodies to Khan Yunis in southern Gaza due to the lack of proper documentation.
'The Red Cross declined to participate in the reception of the bodies because it did not comply with the applicable protocols. There are no data, lists, or evidence identifying these bodies, and we have no information about them whatsoever,' Mhanna stated. 'We emphasize the right of all families to receive information about their relatives and loved ones and to carry out burial ceremonies in a manner that respects human dignity.'
