Hamas accuses Israel of desecrating corpses, stealing organs from deceased Palestinians

Hamas and health officials in the Gaza Strip have once again levelled serious allegations against Israel, accusing the Israeli military of harvesting vital organs from the bodies of deceased Palestinians.

The claims surfaced following a recent hostage-prisoner exchange, part of a ceasefire agreement. Health Ministry officials in Gaza reported inspecting some of the returned bodies and claiming that they appeared “emptied and stuffed with cotton.” The ministry, however, stated it lacks the technical tools necessary to definitively prove the organ theft accusation.

Past allegations and evidence

This is not the first time such grave accusations have been raised.

Last month, Dr Ismail al-Thawabta, the director of the Gaza government media office, called for an immediate international investigation into the matter, accusing the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) of “serious violations against the bodies of the martyrs.”

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Further fuelling the controversy are findings from the Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor.

In November 2023, the organization tracked the IDF’s confiscation of dozens of bodies from the al-Shifa medical complex. The human rights group later reported that medical professionals who examined some of the bodies found evidence suggesting organ theft, specifically citing “missing cochleas and corneas as well as other vital organs like livers, kidneys, and hearts.”

Targeting of Cemeteries

The accusations follow separate reports detailing military activity in Gaza’s burial sites. In January 2024, the Euro-Med Monitor and CNN reported that at least 12 to 16 cemeteries in the region had been targeted or attacked by the IDF.

Medical sources claimed that upon inspecting some of the bodies that were exhumed or affected, organs were found to be missing.

The Israeli military has consistently denied similar accusations in the past.

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These latest claims, however, are amplifying calls from various international organisations for a comprehensive, independent investigation to determine the truth behind the allegations.