UN rights chief criticises handover ceremony of Israeli captives’ bodies in Gaza

Volker Turk, the UN human rights chief, says in a statement that “under international law, any handover of the remains of deceased must comply with the prohibition of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, ensuring respect for the dignity of the deceased and their families.” Hamas today handed over the bodies of Israeli infant Kfir Bibas and his four-year-old brother, Ariel, the two youngest captives taken by Hamas in its October 7, 2023, attacks. The bodies of their mother, Shiri Bibas, and a fourth hostage, Oded Lifschitz, were also handed over under the terms of the Gaza ceasefire reached last month.