Gaza health officials struggle to identify bodies of Palestinians returned by Israel

Описание: (16 Oct 2025)
RESTRICTIONS SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Khan Younis, Southern Gaza Strip – 16 October 2025
1. Various of wrapped bodies on the ground, health workers carrying wrapped bodies out of truck
2. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Dr. Mohammed Zaqout, Director General of Gaza's Hospitals:
"The process of examining and identifying the bodies is still ongoing. Families are coming one by one to view the photos displayed on the screen at the field hospital in Nasser Hospital.”
3. Various of health workers carrying bodies into hospital
4. Various of people gathering near bodies
5. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Dr. Mohammed Zaqout, Director General of Gaza's Hospitals:
"Only four martyrs' bodies have been identified so far, and the rest are being identified. There are significant difficulties in identifying the bodies of the martyrs. It is true that they were placed in refrigerators and frozen, but these bodies were subjected, as we mentioned, to torture and mutilation, and therefore identifying them is extremely difficult.”
6. Various of health workers checking written details of bodies
7. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Mirvat Al-Bourdeeni, Mother looking for her son:
”We do not know whether he is alive or martyred. We have informed the institutions and everyone else. He has no name in the prisons. We are waiting to see. Perhaps we will find him, God willing.”
8. Close of Mirvat Al-Bourdeeni crying, UPSOUND (Arabic): ”God willing, if he is alive, gives us hope, and if he is a martyr, may God have mercy on him.”
9. Various of people waiting to check bodies

STORYLINE:
Health officials in the Gaza Strip are struggling to identify the bodies of Palestinians returned by Israel under the Gaza ceasefire.

On Thursday, workers at Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis unloaded dozens of white body bags.

Health authorities in the blockaded territory do not have access to DNA testing or other sophisticated technology that Israel has used to identify the remains of hostages taken in Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack that ignited the war.

Dr. Mohammed Zaqout, the head of Gaza’s hospitals, said they have only been able to identify four bodies so far.

He said some of the bodies appear to have had their wrists tightly bound, indicating those individuals may have died in Israeli custody. Some may have died in battle or in Israeli strikes.

The Israeli military says it acts in accordance with local and international law and “completely rejects allegations regarding the systematic abuse of detainees.”

Both Israel and Palestinian militants hold the bodies of their adversaries in order to exchange them in deals like the one currently being implemented.

The International Committee of the Red Cross, which has helped facilitate the exchange of bodies, said 120 bodies have been returned to Gaza in the last three days, citing local hospital officials.

===========================================================

Clients are reminded to adhere to all listed restrictions and to check the terms of their licence agreements. For further assistance, please contact the AP Archive on: Tel +44(0)2074827482 Email: [email protected].

Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter:   / ap_archive  
Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​
Instagram:   / apnews  


You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...