Hamas demands int'l probe into mutilated bodies returned by 'Israel'
2 Min Read
Hamas has called for an international investigation after Gaza officials reported that bodies returned by "Israel' under the ceasefire showed signs of torture and mistreatment.
-
The bodies of deceased Palestinians, held by Israel during the war, lie in plastic bags on the floor of Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, Gaza, following their release, Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)
The Palestinian Resistance movement Hamas has demanded an urgent international investigation into what it described as horrific abuses committed by Israeli occupation forces against Palestinians whose bodies were recently returned to Gaza under the ongoing ceasefire agreement.
In a statement on Thursday, Hamas accused the Israeli occupation forces of “criminal and fascist conduct” and denounced what it called a “moral and humanitarian collapse.” The movement said the corpses handed over to Gaza bore unmistakable signs of torture, abuse, and summary executions.
“The horrific scenes on the bodies of the martyrs returned by the occupation, the signs of torture, abuse, and field executions, clearly reveal the criminal nature of the occupation army,” the statement said.
Condemning the reported acts, Hamas said, “The occupation does not distinguish between the living and the dead among our people,” describing the killings as “a heinous crime amounting to genocide.”
The movement called on international human rights organizations, the United Nations, and the UN Human Rights Council to “document these crimes, open an urgent and comprehensive investigation, and bring the occupation leaders to justice.”
'Israel' returns 30 Palestinian bodies; some bearing marks of torture
The Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip announced on Thursday that it has received the bodies of 30 martyrs, released by the Israeli occupation through the International Red Cross, bringing the total number of martyr bodies received to 120.
The Ministry confirmed that some of the bodies show signs of mutilation, beating, bound hands, and blindfolds, noting that the identities of only four of the martyrs have been recognized by their families so far.
The Gaza Health Ministry added that its medical teams continue to manage the bodies according to established medical procedures and protocols, as they work to complete the examination, documentation, and final release to the families.
On Wednesday, the Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip announced it received 45 martyrs' bodies, which the Israeli occupation had released.
It reported that 45 unidentified martyrs' bodies that the occupation had held were received, and these remains have not been added to the cumulative toll of martyrs, which has reached 67,938 killed and 170,169 injured since October 7, 2023.
