Dozens of unidentified Palestinian bodies, wrapped in makeshift white cloths serving as shrouds, are being laid to rest in a newly dug mass grave in Deir el-Balah. The bodies are victims of Israeli attacks, many unrecognizable due to severe burns or dismemberment. The burial team at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital is providing Islamic burial rituals to the remains in hopes of offering them peace.
The hospital’s staff has never seen wounds as puzzling as those on these mangled bodies. Some bodies are so badly torn apart that they are unsure if they have the complete person. An entire family’s body parts were buried together in one shroud, barely making up one complete body. Hospital spokesperson Mohammed al-Hajj stated that about 150 unknown bodies have been buried, each documented by a committee of police and health officials.
Identifying these bodies is extremely challenging, with family members examining body parts for any identifying marks or remains of clothing. Abu Ammar, who has years of experience in washing and burying bodies, expressed that encountering unknown bodies during this Israeli offensive on Gaza has been the most harrowing experience of his life. He added that the sight of the bodies reduced to burned remains or chopped pieces is unbearable.
Photographs are only helpful if relatives come to the hospital inquiring about their loved ones, but in most cases, the victims’ skulls are shattered and their faces burned beyond recognition. Abu Ammar emphasized that every one of these bodies was once a human being and deserves dignity, making the experience of handling their remains truly distressing.