Report says Israel continues to retain Palestinian remains despite no Israeli captives currently held by Hamas.
Image: WSJ
Israel is holding the remains of around 1,700 Palestinians for possible use in future prisoner or remains exchanges, according to a report by Haaretz.
The report says the remains are being retained despite no Israeli captives currently being held by Hamas, raising renewed questions over Israel’s policy of holding Palestinian bodies.
The practice has remained a highly sensitive issue in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with Palestinian families and rights groups repeatedly calling for the return of remains to relatives for burial.
The reported figures have also drawn attention to the broader issue of remains being withheld during periods of conflict, particularly when negotiations over detainees and exchanges are underway.
The report adds another contentious issue to already difficult discussions surrounding Palestinian detainees, remains and potential future exchanges.
