Israel has reportedly returned the bodies of at least 15 Palestinians to Gaza on Friday, as per the accounts of the Nasser hospital in Khan Younis. The return comes following the terms of the fragile US-brokered ceasefire agreement.
The returned body has been identified as that of Meny Godard, who was abducted from kibbutz Be’eri in southern Israel, as reported by the AP news.
Meanwhile, the remaining 25 hostages have reportedly returned to Israel since the start of the ceasefire, which was initiated on October 10. Three months are still needed to recover and hand over the hostages. Hamas, as reported by the AP news, returned 20 living hostages to Israel on October 13.
The identification of remains is reportedly complicated due to a lack of DNA testing kits; the bodies of 27 unidentified Palestinians were 27 unidentified bodies were buried in Gaza on Friday, as health officials in Gaza have said identifying the remains handed over by Israel is complicated by a lack of DNA testing kits.
The United Nations’ human rights chief, Volker Türk, on Friday added his voice to growing criticism of a recent wave of attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinians in the West Bank. He called for the violence to stop and urged Israel to ensure those responsible are brought to justice.
According to U.N. Human Rights Commissioner spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan, more than 260 settler attacks targeting Palestinians and their property were documented in the West Bank during October—the highest monthly figure recorded since 2006.
“We reiterate that the Israeli government’s assertion of sovereignty over the occupied West Bank and its annexation of parts of it are in breach of international law, as the International Court of Justice has confirmed,” said Al-Kheetan, as quoted by AP news.
