Palestinian bodies returned by Israel were ‘mutilated’ and missing ‘vital organs’ according to Gaza officials.
Mondoweiss
On Tuesday, Israel handed over 80 Palestinian bodies to authorities in Gaza at the Karam Abu Salem border crossing.
Upon further investigation, the Gaza media office accused Israel of stealing organs from the deceased bodies, whose identities remain unknown. According to Hamas, the bodies were taken ‘from different areas of the Gaza Strip.’
‘The media office denounces in the strongest terms the Israeli occupation army’s disdain for the dignity of the bodies of our 80 martyrs that Israel had stolen during its genocidal war because it delivered them mutilated,’ a statement said.
‘After examining the bodies, it is clear that the features of those killed had changed greatly in a clear indication that the Israeli occupation had stolen vital organs from them,’ the statement continued.
The office is calling for an independent international investigation and also highlighted that this is not the first time Israel has ‘mutilated’ Palestinian bodies in Gaza.
‘Israel has previously exhumed graves in Jabalia and stole some of the bodies in addition to the fact that it still has dozens of bodies from the Gaza Strip in its possession,’ it said.
Israel has also admitted that their pathologists in the past have harvested organs from dead Palestinians and others without the consent of their families.