PALESTINE, (Palestine Foundation Information Center), The Palestinian Prisoners’ Media Office has confirmed that Israel’s continued detention of the bodies of Palestinian martyrs constitutes a blatant violation of international humanitarian law. It said the practice causes prolonged suffering for the families of the martyrs, who are denied the right to know the fate of their loved ones, bid them a final farewell, and bury them according to their religious rites.
The statement was issued on the occasion of the National Day for the Recovery of Martyrs’ Bodies in Palestine, observed annually on August 27.
In a statement released Thursday, the office said available figures, based on information revealed by the media, indicate that Israel is holding the bodies of approximately 1,700 martyrs. Meanwhile, the National Campaign for the Recovery of Martyrs’ Bodies and prisoners’ institutions have identified 799 martyrs whose remains are being held.
The office explained that the identified cases include 256 martyrs whose bodies are being held in so-called numbered cemeteries rather than being buried in ordinary graves. The list also includes 99 martyrs affiliated with the prisoners’ movement, 81 children under the age of 18, and 10 women. It warned that the figures could increase significantly given that thousands of people remain missing in the Gaza Strip.
The office pointed out that Israel’s decades-long policy of withholding the bodies of martyrs deprives their families of their basic rights and forces them to endure prolonged waiting, pain and unresolved grief.
The statement added that the policy also violates fundamental principles of international humanitarian law requiring respect and dignified treatment of the dead. It further infringes on families’ right to know the fate of their loved ones, bury them, and perform religious rituals related to death and burial.
The Prisoners’ Media Office urged the international community and human rights organizations to pressure Israel to disclose the fate of all missing persons, return the bodies of martyrs to their families without restrictions or conditions, and launch independent international investigations into the circumstances surrounding the detention of the bodies and the treatment of the remains, including allegations of violations of the dignity of the dead.
The office also called for Israel to be held accountable for violations of international humanitarian law in the occupied Palestinian territory, particularly the detention of martyrs’ bodies. It stressed the need to intensify popular, national and legal efforts to recover the remains and make the issue an integral part of efforts to secure truth, dignity and justice for the families of the martyrs.
