Employees of the Nasser Medical Complex check the content of a body bag, one of the bodies of Palestinian prisoners detained by Israel and released as part of the captives exchange deal, as they arrive in Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip. AFP
The bodies were transferred to the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, according to the Palestinian news agency SAFA.
The handover came less than a day after the Al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’ military wing, delivered the body of an Israeli soldier through the Red Cross.
This exchange marks the seventh batch of bodies returned by Israel, bringing the total number of Palestinian bodies handed over to 285, according to local authorities.
Last October, the Palestinian health ministry reported that bodies returned by Israel showed clear signs of torture, abuse, and field executions.
The ministry said many of the victims had their hands bound and eyes blindfolded, indicating they were subjected to mistreatment before death.
Medical sources added that some bodies bore marks consistent with tank treads, suggesting that several victims may have been run over by military vehicles.
A detailed investigation published by The Guardian also revealed that at least 135 mutilated bodies of Palestinians returned by Israel to Gaza had been held in a detention centre accused of torture and deaths in custody.
Ongoing violations
Despite the Gaza ceasefire agreement proposed by US President Donald Trump and signed at the Sharm El-Sheikh Summit for Peace by mediators Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey on 10 October, Israel has continued to carry out strikes across the Gaza Strip, killing more than 250 Palestinians, according to local authorities.
On Wednesday, Israeli forces conducted a large-scale demolition operation east of Rafah, in southern Gaza, and launched multiple air raids on the city, according to Al Jazeera.
In the eastern areas of Khan Younis and Gaza City, the army reportedly carried out intense shelling and demolition operations, with artillery and airstrikes targeting the Shuja’iyya and Tuffah neighbourhoods.
The Israeli news site Walla confirmed that the military had destroyed several buildings east of Khan Younis and carried out additional strikes east of Al-Bureij refugee camp overnight.
On Tuesday, three Palestinians were killed by Israeli army fire in the city of Rafah, in southern Gaza, according to Nasser Hospital.
Aid obstruction
The renewed attacks come as aid access to Gaza remains restricted, with humanitarian agencies reporting ongoing obstacles in delivering food, medical supplies, and other essential relief to the war-torn territory.
According to government statistics, the average number of trucks entering Gaza since the ceasefire began has not exceeded 89 per day, out of the 600 trucks required daily to meet the minimum humanitarian needs of the Palestinian population.
On Wednesday, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) called for the opening of all crossings into the Gaza Strip to expand humanitarian operations, noting that about one million people have received food assistance since the ceasefire took effect.
“Three and a half weeks after the ceasefire in Gaza, we have distributed food parcels to nearly one million people across the strip,” Abeer Atefa, WFP’s spokesperson, said in a press statement.
She emphasized the need to open additional crossings and improve humanitarian access within Gaza to reach more people in need.
“To scale up our operations to the required level and meet our commitments, we need better access, including opening more border crossings and allowing the use of main roads inside Gaza,” Atefa said, adding that the programme aims to assist 1.6 million people.
The spokesperson also noted that only two border crossings are currently operational, calling for the opening of routes leading to northern Gaza to stabilize markets and address residents’ urgent needs.
The WFP currently operates 44 food distribution centres across Gaza, out of 145 centres it plans to open as part of its ongoing humanitarian response.
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