Heinous crime: Hamas slams Israel for withholding bodies of 726 Palestinians

Hamas says Israel is committing a “heinous crime” by holding the bodies of hundreds of Palestinians—some for decades—and called on the international community to intervene.

In a Wednesday statement, the Palestinian resistance movement said Israeli authorities currently hold at least 726 Palestinian bodies in “a horrific crime and blatant violation of all international laws and norms.”

Hamas said "this inhumane policy" has escalated since Israel unleashed its genocidal campaign on Gaza on October 7, 2023.

“This number reflects documented cases, while additional martyrs in Gaza remain unaccounted for, amplifying the scale and horror of this crime," the statement added.

Hamas urged the United Nations to pressure Israel in all international forums to end the practice known as “Cemeteries of Numbers.”

In this system, unmarked graves are bordered with stones, each bearing a metal plate with a number instead of the deceased’s name. The numbers correspond to individual files maintained by Israeli military authorities.

In September 2019, the Israeli Supreme Court ruled that military commanders could temporarily withhold Palestinian bodies killed by Israeli forces for potential use as “bargaining chips” in future negotiations.

Human rights organizations have since launched national campaigns to pressure the regime's courts and authorities to return the bodies to families.

Hamas reiterated that it is the Palestinian people’s “legitimate right to honor their martyrs, who will always remain beacons of sacrifice and defenders of the land and holy sites.”

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