Israel Returns Palestinians’ Mutilated Bodies and Skeletal Remains in Boxes to Gaza

Gaza authorities have received the remains of dozens of Palestinians, many showing severe mutilation and signs of torture, in what officials describe as a systematic humiliation of the dead and their families. According to the Gaza Health Ministry, 54 bodies were returned along with 66 boxes containing unidentified body parts, some of which are thought to be from the same individuals.

The Gaza Health Ministry released harrowing images showing skulls, bones, and body parts, with many victims bearing signs of torture, amputations, and gunshot wounds at close range.

Dr. Muneer al-Boursh, Director-General of the Health Ministry, called the practice a “moral and humanitarian crime,” highlighting that even during conflict, such treatment of bodies is unprecedented and deeply degrading. Families often must sift through body parts to identify their loved ones, with DNA kits blocked from entering Gaza, making identification nearly impossible.

“What’s noticeable is that all the bodies had their fingers amputated,” said Dr. Muneer al-Boursh. “This is a deliberate attempt to erase identity, to erase memory, to humiliate the living before the dead. When a person receives a bag of body parts, how will they identify them?

“Accompanying these bodies were 66 boxes, and we are astonished by these boxes; inside them were plastic bags containing body parts and human organs. This is a skull and this is a pelvis and this is a bone and this… the scene was painful.”
Dr. al-Boursh

Experts and human rights advocates argue that returning human remains in such conditions constitutes a violation of international humanitarian law. They call for immediate accountability and independent investigations into the treatment of Palestinian corpses, framing it as part of a systematic campaign that dehumanizes Palestinians even in death.

A Reiterated Practice

Last October, Palestinian medics and health officials reported that Israel returned dozens of Palestinian bodies that showed signs of abuse, mutilation and torture. This includes bodies with blindfolds, bound hands and feet, fractures, burns and deep wounds. At least 135 of the bodies returned were linked to detainees held at the Sde Teiman facility, a site already associated with allegations of torture and unlawful deaths in custody.

At the time, some reports alleged that organs were removed from the bodies, citing missing internal organs and unusual surgical openings. Gaza authorities claim these acts are part of a broader pattern of dehumanization, targeting Palestinians even in death.

This latest development adds to the mounting international criticism of Israel’s conduct in Gaza, which has seen tens of thousands killed and countless civilians displaced. Families continue to mourn without closure, and the cycle of trauma deepens as the bodies of loved ones are returned in such horrific conditions.

©TNPP