Bodies of Palestinians Returned by Israel Show Signs of Torture, Held at Controversial Detention Center
At least 135 bodies of Palestinians returned to Gaza by Israel bore evidence of torture and were documented as having been held at Sde Teiman, a military detention center facing allegations of abuse, health officials confirmed today.
Dr. Munir al-Bursh, director general of Gaza’s health ministry, and a spokesperson for Nasser hospital in Khan Younis, where the bodies are being examined, stated that documents found with each body identified Sde Teiman as the place of detention. “The document tags inside the body bags are written in Hebrew and clearly indicate that the remains were held at Sde Teiman,” Bursh said. “The tags also showed that DNA tests had been carried out on some of them there.” The detention center has been the subject of previous reporting detailing harsh conditions, including detainees held in cages and subjected to physical abuse. This development adds to growing international concern over the treatment of Palestinian detainees.
Examinations revealed evidence of “direct gunfire at point-blank range and bodies crushed beneath Israeli tank tracks,” according to doctors at Nasser medical complex. Eyad Barhoum, the administrative director, noted the bodies were identified by codes rather than names, and the identification process is underway. One family, identifying the body of Mahmoud Ismail Shabat, 34, reported marks of hanging and crushed legs, with his brother Rami stating, “What hurt us the most was that his hands were tied, and his body was covered with clear signs of torture.” The UN reported at least 75 Palestinian detainees have died in Israeli jails since October 7, 2023, raising questions about accountability and due process.
The Israel Defense Forces stated they have requested an investigation by the Israel Prison Service into the allegations of torture, but have not commented on the claim that the bodies originated from Sde Teiman. Physicians for Human Rights Israel has called for an independent international investigation, stating the findings corroborate previous reports of systematic torture and killings within Israeli detention facilities.
Officials say the investigation into the deaths and alleged abuses continues, and further forensic analysis is planned to determine the circumstances surrounding each death.
