By Senior Digital Correspondent
The living room of the Mari family in the northern West Bank village of Qarawat Bani Hassan is filled with a heavy silence. Three young boys sit on the sofa next to their grandmother. They are waiting for a father who will never walk through the door again. Abdul Rahman Mari died in an Israeli prison in November 2023. He was 34 years old.
His family does not have a grave to visit. They have not held a funeral.
Israeli authorities have refused to return his body for burial. The family lives in a state of suspended grief. This is not an isolated tragedy but a widespread policy that has left hundreds of Palestinian families unable to say their final goodbyes. Human rights organizations describe this practice as a form of collective punishment that violates international law.
The pain is compounded by uncertainty. Families do not know if their loved ones are in a morgue or buried in an anonymous grave. They simply wait.
The Scale of the Silent Crisis
The number of withheld bodies has surged in recent years. Data from human rights monitors indicates that Israel is currently holding the remains of hundreds of Palestinians. This includes bodies of those killed in recent conflicts and prisoners who died in custody.
The practice involves two main methods of retention:
- Freezers: Bodies are kept in morgue refrigerators at extremely low temperatures.
- Cemeteries of Numbers: Bodies are buried in secret military zones. The graves are marked only with a metal plate bearing a number, not a name.
Official reports suggest that over 670 bodies are currently being held. This figure includes individuals from the West Bank and Gaza. The policy has intensified significantly following the events of October 7.
Israeli authorities state this policy is necessary for security.
They argue that holding these bodies serves as leverage. The goal is to secure the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. Defense officials have repeatedly stated that they will not return bodies while Israelis remain in captivity.
Legal Battles and Security Claims
The legal framework for this policy is contentious. In recent years, Israel’s security cabinet voted to expand the policy. They decided to withhold the bodies of any Palestinian accused of an attack, regardless of their political affiliation.
Previously, this measure applied mainly to members of Hamas. Now, it is much broader.
Israel’s Supreme Court has debated this issue multiple times. The court has often upheld the state’s right to withhold bodies for security reasons. The rationale is that returning bodies often leads to mass funerals. Authorities claim these funerals can turn into riots or encourage further attacks.
However, international law experts disagree with this justification. The Geneva Conventions require parties to armed conflict to treat the dead with dignity. They mandate that bodies be returned to families whenever possible.
Withholding remains is viewed by many legal scholars as a violation of these conventions. Critics argue it punishes the family for the alleged actions of the deceased.
A Legacy of Pain for Families
For the mothers, fathers, and children left behind, the politics matter less than the closure.
Aziza Mari, Abdul Rahman’s mother, struggles to answer her grandsons’ questions. The boys, aged 6, 9, and 11, ask where their father is. They want to know why there is no grave.
Psychologists warn that this lack of closure causes severe mental health issues. Families cannot begin the grieving process. They are stuck in a perpetual state of waiting. This is often referred to as “ambiguous loss.”
The impact on the community is profound.
| Impact on Families | Details |
|---|---|
| Psychological Trauma | Higher rates of anxiety, depression, and suspended grief among relatives. |
| Social Stigma | Families feel unable to move forward with life events like weddings or celebrations. |
| Financial Strain | High costs associated with legal battles to petition for the release of remains. |
Every court hearing brings a glimmer of hope that is often extinguished. Families travel to courts, hire lawyers, and file petitions. Most of the time, the answer is a rejection based on classified security files.
International Pressure and Future Prospects
The international community has begun to pay closer attention to this issue. Reports from the United Nations have called for an end to the practice. They urge Israel to return all bodies to their families immediately.
Despite this pressure, the policy remains firmly in place.
The situation is complicated by the ongoing war in Gaza. The Israeli government is under immense domestic pressure to bring home its own hostages. This political climate makes any concession regarding Palestinian bodies unlikely in the near future.
Families hope that a comprehensive ceasefire deal might solve this. They pray that an exchange of prisoners and hostages will include the return of the dead. Until then, they remain trapped in a cruel limbo.
For Aziza Mari and her grandsons, the wait continues. They keep the memory of Abdul Rahman alive in their living room. But they long for the day they can honor him with a proper burial in the earth of their village.
