Israel is alleged to be holding the remains of about 1,700 Palestinians for use in possible future negotiations.
Assessments within Israel’s security agencies argued that the remains should be kept in case Israeli captives or missing persons could be located. Shin Bet chief David Zini supported this view, and the Israeli military adopted the same approach.
Most remains are from Gaza
Most of the remains being held are said to belong to residents of the Gaza Strip who were alleged to have taken part in the October 7, 2023 attack or the fighting that followed. Some of the remains also belonged to Palestinians who did not take part in the conflict.
According to assessments by Israeli legal experts, the state has no practical authority to hold the remains of Palestinians whose participation in the conflict has not been proven unless the political-security cabinet holds a discussion in principle on the matter.
The October 7 attack and its aftermath
Hamas members attacked military bases and communities around Gaza on October 7, 2023; Israelis were killed and taken captive in the attacks. Hamas defended the assault as a response to Israel’s actions toward Palestinians and holy sites.
Israeli officials describe the events of October 7 as one of the biggest intelligence and military failures in the country’s history. The view that the incident seriously damaged the international standing of Israel and its military has also been expressed.
Statement by a Palestinian organization
A Palestinian civil society organization working to secure the return of remains and clarify the fate of missing people stated in October 2025 that the Israeli military was holding the remains of about 1,500 Palestinians from Gaza at the Sde Teiman camp.
According to official Palestinian data, more than 73,000 people have been killed and more than 174,000 wounded in Gaza since October 8, 2023. The same data shows that about 90 percent of Gaza’s infrastructure was damaged, while children and women made up most of those killed and wounded.
