Funeral held in Gaza for 54 prisoners returned by Israel under ceasefire deal

A funeral procession was held in central Gaza on Wednesday for 54 Palestinian prisoners returned by Israel under a ceasefire agreement.

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.

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.

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.

"These acts constitute conclusive evidence of field executions," Thawabteh said, calling on the international community and the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate and hold Israel and its supporters accountable.

Huda Hammad, a Palestinian woman searching for a relative, said she comes every day to identify her niece's son.

"But we could not as there were no features left."

She added that some bodies were mutilated or dismembered, stressing the necessity of DNA testing for the identification of the bodies.

Palestinian families attempt to identify bodies through remaining features or clothing, as most bodies have been received without names or documents. Gaza's testing facilities remain limited due to a years-long Israeli blockade and the destruction of laboratories.

Since October 14, Gaza's Health Ministry has received 165 bodies through the Red Cross under the ceasefire agreement that took effect on Oct. 10 between Hamas and Israel.

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.

Since October 2023, the Israeli genocidal war has killed over 68,200 people and injured more than 170,300, according to the Health Ministry.