Dozens of Palestinians buried in Gaza after Israel returns bodies

They were among 195 bodies returned by Israel as part of a ceasefire agreement with Hamas, under which the militant group is to hand over the remains of deceased hostages still held in Gaza.

Emergency workers and relatives gathered to pray around the white plastic bags containing the remains, many of which could not be identified. The bodies were later transported to a cemetery in Deir al-Balah, where they were buried in a mass grave. Families from across Gaza have been arriving at Nasser Hospital in the hope of identifying loved ones who have been missing for much of the war.

Israel said the bodies returned were those of combatants, a claim that could not be independently verified. Medical staff and relatives told the Associated Press that some of the dead were civilians. With no DNA testing materials allowed into Gaza and many bodies severely decomposed, families are relying on personal items and visual recognition to identify their relatives.