9,500 Palestinians missing in Gaza since start of Israeli aggression
GAZA, June 04 (YPA) – The “Addameer” International Support for Human Rights and Prisoners’ Association in the Gaza Strip has revealed that more than 9,500 cases of missing Palestinians and loss of contact have been registered since the start of the Israeli occupation war on the Strip on October 7, 2023, including approximately 4,700 women and children.
A report issued by the foundation on Tuesday evening, titled “Missing Palestinians in the Gaza Strip in Light of the Genocide War,” explained that the cases of disappearance were distributed across five main patterns. This is led by those whose fate remains unknown under the rubble, with an estimated number of over 8,100 people still trapped under the debris of homes and buildings destroyed by the Israeli occupation’s bombardment.
The report also monitored more than 250 cases of missing citizens who went missing while heading to humanitarian aid distribution points or along truck entry routes, particularly those associated with what is known as the “Gaza Humanitarian Foundation,” which is managed by American security companies.
Furthermore, it documented the disappearance of more than 350 individuals who crossed the separation fence on October 7, 2023, with no information available regarding their fate to date, amid the absence of official data from the occupation authorities concerning their status.
The report indicated the registration of a loss of contact with more than 800 Palestinians who were arrested while moving from the northern Gaza Strip to the south via military checkpoints or during ground operations carried out by the Israeli occupation army inside the Strip.
Violation of International Law
“Addameer” emphasized that these facts constitute a clear violation of international humanitarian law, contradicting the Fourth Geneva Convention, Additional Protocol I, and the 2006 International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, in addition to the Rome Statute, which classifies enforced disappearance among crimes against humanity.
The foundation stressed that the responsibilities of the occupying power are not limited to stopping violations, but also include immediately disclosing the fate of the missing, handing over remains, and allowing international organizations and medical teams unrestricted access to all sites.
The foundation held the occupation authorities fully responsible for the fate of the missing persons, as they are the occupying power exercising de facto control over the Gaza Strip.
Urgent Recommendations
At the conclusion of its report, “Addameer” called for:
- The immediate disclosure of the fate of all missing persons and the release of detainees.
- Enabling rescue and forensic teams to operate, and establishing a genetic databank for identification purposes.
- Activating international investigation and accountability mechanisms.
- Enacting national legislation that guarantees the right of families to know the fate of their loved ones and to receive compensation.
This report comes amid the continuation of the war on the Gaza Strip since October 2023, which Palestinian statistics indicate has resulted in more than 245,000 martyrs and wounded, and over 11,000 missing individuals, alongside hundreds of thousands of displaced persons and widespread destruction affecting various areas of the Strip.
YPA