Palestinian Center for Missing Persons calls to close remains file and end enforced disappearances

The Palestinian Center for the Missing and the Enforced Disappeared called for the completion of the return of the remains of all Palestinian and Israeli victims and urged that this humanitarian file not be conditioned by any political or negotiation considerations.

In a statement, the center said it had followed the Israeli army’s handover of the bodies of 45 Palestinians via the International Committee of the Red Cross, which were transferred to Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis, following the delivery of several bodies of Israelis who had been held in Gaza.

The center expressed appreciation for the humanitarian efforts of the Red Cross, calling for continued work to verify the identities of the bodies through DNA testing and to ensure their dignity and prompt return to their families.

It noted that some bodies were returned intact while in other cases only remains were handed over, raising concern about the circumstances of death and detention. The center also voiced surprise that the Israeli forces did not provide an official list of names, a fact it said bolsters suspicions of forced disappearance practices and manipulation of victims’ files.

The center stressed the need to provide full and transparent information about the remains and to notify families immediately, in respect of their right to know and human dignity. It also demanded the release of all detained bodies and disclosure of the fate of those forcibly disappeared since the start of the aggression.

It concluded by urging the international community to oblige the Israeli authorities to allow Palestinian specialist teams to bring in the technical equipment needed to recover bodies and determine the fate of the missing in the Gaza Strip.