UN condemns Hamas for parading Israeli hostages' bodies in Gaza

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has strongly condemned Hamas's handover of the remains of deceased hostages in southern Gaza, accusing the organization of disrespecting the remains of foreign Israelis and their families. This action has sparked widespread international attention and strong condemnation. The act underscores the need for all parties to adhere to international humanitarian law.

On Thursday morning local time, Hamas released the remains of mother Shiri Bibas and her two young sons, Ariel and Kfir, as well as the remains of former journalist and peace activist Oded Lifshitz. The remains of the four individuals were placed in black coffins and handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross in Khan Younis, before being transported back to Israel. This handover highlights the ongoing complexities and sensitivities surrounding the conflict.

Before masked Hamas militants handed the coffins to Red Cross personnel, the coffins were placed on a podium, in front of banners and posters accusing Israel of causing their deaths. One of the banners depicted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a vampire, looming over the four deceased hostages, with text stating "War criminal Netanyahu and his Nazi army killed them with missiles from Zionist warplanes." The display was clearly intended to convey a specific political message.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk condemned Hamas's display in a statement. He stated: "Any handover of mortal remains must be carried out in a manner that respects the dignity of the dead and their families, in accordance with the prohibition of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment under international law." The Israeli government also condemned the handover ceremony, expressing outrage at the manipulation of the deceased.

The Red Cross transported the remains of the Bibas family and Mr. Lifshitz to the Israel-Gaza border, where they were handed over to the Israel Defense Forces. A military ceremony was held at the site, with the coffins draped in Israeli flags before being loaded into three white vans and transported back to Israel. A convoy then headed north towards Tel Aviv and the National Institute of Forensic Medicine of Israel.

Many Israelis lined the highways to watch the vans pass by, and hundreds gathered outside the mortuary, despite government appeals for people to stay away from the area given the sensitivity of the situation. Upon arrival at the forensic center, the work of formally identifying the remains and determining the cause of death began, with authorities warning that the process could take some time due to concerns about the condition of the bodies. The identification process is crucial for providing closure to the families.

Oded Lifshitz's family confirmed that his identity had been formally confirmed hours after his remains arrived, with the Israeli government stating that he was "murdered in captivity" by Palestinian Islamic Jihad. In a statement, the family said: "503 days of agonizing uncertainty have come to an end. We had so hoped and prayed for a different outcome. Now we can mourn the husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather who has been missing from us since October 7." The family's grief underscores the deep personal toll of the conflict.

In recent weeks, large crowds had gathered at Tel Aviv's Hostages Square to watch the hostage release process via video screens. But on Thursday morning, the atmosphere was more somber. Instead of images from Gaza, the square displayed photos of Israeli hostages, and was filled with hundreds of Israeli flags adorned with the yellow ribbon symbol of the hostage campaign. Some of those gathered wept and prayed as news broke that the remains had been handed over to the Red Cross. The shift in atmosphere reflected the gravity of the situation.

While Israelis criticized the display in Gaza on Thursday morning, concerns were raised that the remains of many Palestinians killed during Israeli bombardments of Gaza remain buried under the rubble of the war-torn territory. Since Hamas's deadly attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, more than 48,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war. On that day, nearly 1,200 Israelis were killed and 250 were taken hostage, triggering the devastating conflict in Gaza. The stark contrast in casualty figures highlights the asymmetrical nature of the conflict.

Hamas is expected to release another six Israelis on Saturday, the last of the living hostages scheduled to be released during the six-week pause in fighting in Gaza. In return, this will prompt Israeli authorities to release more Palestinians held in Israeli prisons, including women and children detained since the start of the war. Questions will be raised about why these individuals were initially detained and what threat they posed. Hamas is expected to hand over another four Israeli bodies next week. The exchange is a delicate process fraught with potential challenges.

The release of dozens of remaining hostages, both living and dead, depends on extending Gaza's fragile truce agreement. The current agreement is set to expire on March 2, and negotiations on a "second phase" of the ceasefire have been delayed. These negotiations will be far more complex than those that led to the initial pause in fighting, and must address the future governance of Gaza as well as reconstruction efforts. The long-term stability of the region hinges on successful negotiations.