GAZA CITY, Palestine \/ ISTANBUL<\/p>\n
A funeral procession was held in central Gaza on Wednesday for 54 Palestinian prisoners returned by Israel under a ceasefire agreement.<\/p>\n
Hundreds of Palestinians gathered in Deir al-Balah city to bid farewell to the deceased prisoners, who could not be identified as their features were blurred as a result of torture.<\/p>\n
Ismail Al-Thawabta, director of the Gaza Government Media Office, told a press conference that signs of torture, including hanging marks, ropes around necks, and close-range gunshot wounds, were visible on the bodies.<\/p>\n
Medical teams also documented hand- and foot-binding with plastic restraints, blindfolds, burns, fractures, and evidence of being run over by tank treads, he added.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese acts constitute conclusive evidence of field executions,\u201d Thawabteh said, calling on the international community and the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate and hold Israel and its supporters accountable.<\/p>\n
Huda Hammad, a Palestinian woman searching for a relative, said she comes every day to identify her niece\u2019s son.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut we could not as there were no features left.\u201d<\/p>\n
She added that some bodies were mutilated or dismembered, stressing the necessity of DNA testing for the identification of the bodies.<\/p>\n
Palestinian families attempt to identify bodies through remaining features or clothing, as most bodies have been received without names or documents. Gaza\u2019s testing facilities remain limited due to a years-long Israeli blockade and the destruction of laboratories.<\/p>\n
Since October 14, Gaza\u2019s Health Ministry has received 165 bodies through the Red Cross under the ceasefire agreement that took effect on Oct. 10 between Hamas and Israel.<\/p>\n
Phase one of the truce included the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. The plan also envisages the rebuilding of Gaza and the establishment of a new governing mechanism without Hamas.<\/p>\n
Since October 2023, the Israeli genocidal war has killed over 68,200 people and injured more than 170,300, according to the Health Ministry.<\/p>\n