By Maryam Ahmad
Israeli authorities are reportedly holding at least 665 Palestinian bodies, many of which have been buried or stored in refrigerators since the 1960s, according to the National Campaign for Retrieval of Bodies.
The campaign reveals that the bodies include individuals who were killed in past decades, as well as those who lost their lives as recently as last week.
The practice of withholding bodies has sparked widespread condemnation from Palestinian families and human rights groups.
Relatives demand the return of their loved ones for proper burial, while critics argue the act is a violation of fundamental humanitarian rights.
Israeli authorities have not publicly addressed the full scope of the issue. Still, it is believed the bodies are kept for security or political reasons, with some allegedly buried in unmarked graves or stored in cold storage.
Human rights organisations have called for the immediate return of the bodies and demanded accountability for what they describe as an ongoing violation of human dignity.