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Israel's army has been accused of stealing organs from deceased Palestinians in Gaza by the Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor, which has called for an independent international investigation. The NGO expressed concerns about possible organ theft after reports from medical professionals in Gaza indicated that vital organs were missing from bodies released by Israel. These included livers, kidneys, hearts, cochleas, and corneas, which the NGO cited as potential evidence of organ theft.

Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor documented cases of Israeli forces confiscating dozens of dead bodies from al-Shifa and Indonesian hospitals in northern Gaza, as well as other locations in the south. Additionally, the NGO claimed Israel exhumed and confiscated corpses from a mass grave at al-Shifa hospital.

The Israeli Defence Force has been approached for comment but has previously denied such accusations, labeling them as "antisemitic." Doctors in Gaza indicated that proving or disproving organ theft through forensic examination alone is challenging, especially since many bodies underwent surgery prior to death. Furthermore, a full examination is currently impossible due to intense Israeli attacks on Gaza.

Israel has long faced accusations of harvesting organs from Palestinians. Dr. Meira Weiss, in her book "Over Their Dead Bodies," alleged that organs were taken from Palestinians between 1996 and 2002 for medical research and transplantation in Israel. Jewish teachings permit organ transplantation, prioritizing the saving of lives over other commandments.

A controversial Israeli TV investigation in 2014 revealed that high-ranking officials admitted to harvesting skin from dead Palestinians and African workers to treat Israelis with burn injuries. The director of the Israeli Skin Bank disclosed that the country's human skin reserve reached 17 square meters, a significant amount relative to Israel's population. According to a 2008 CNN, Israel is considered one of the major hubs for the illegal global trade in human organs.

Euro-Med Monitor urged Israel to comply with international law and respect the dignity of the dead during armed conflicts, referencing the 1949 Fourth Geneva Convention, which requires respect and protection of the dead. Israel, however, has not ratified this convention.

The NGO also accused Israel of withholding the remains of dozens of Palestinians killed during its military operations since October 7, a practice seen as punitive by some, denying families the chance to bury their loved ones. Currently, Israel is believed to hold the remains of at least 145 Palestinians in morgues and approximately 255 in the "Numbers Cemetery," near the Jordanian border, off-limits to the public.

Bloomberg in 2011 described Israel as central to a "sprawling global black market in organs," where brokers use coercion to buy kidneys from impoverished individuals and sell them to affluent patients, many of whom live in Israel. This network reportedly extends from former Soviet republics to Brazil, the Philippines, and South Africa.

Sweden's largest daily newspaper, Aftonbladet, reported in 2009 that the Israeli army was involved in kidnapping and murdering Palestinians to harvest their organs. Journalist Donald Bostrom cited testimonies claiming young Palestinian men were abducted, returned dead, and autopsied with organs missing. He also referred to incidents during the first Palestinian intifada in 1992, where the Israeli army allegedly abducted and killed Palestinians, returning their bodies with organs missing.

Israel’s Channel 2 TV reported in the 1990s that the Abu Kabir Forensic Medicine Institute harvested organs from Israeli soldiers, citizens, Palestinians, and foreign workers without permission. The military confirmed the practice but claimed it ended a decade ago. The allegations against the Israeli army of organ theft from deceased Palestinians in Gaza have sparked calls for an independent international investigation. These claims, supported by historical accusations and reports from medical professionals, highlight a deeply troubling issue that requires urgent scrutiny

 The recent conflict has allegedly provided further opportunities for organ theft. WAFA news agency reported on January 30 that the Israeli army returned 100 Palestinian bodies stolen from hospitals and cemeteries, with medical sources noting missing organs. On April 25^th rescue teams involved in recovering civilian bodies from mass graves at the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza Strip, reported by the WAFA  suspicions of organ theft by Israeli forces.

 In a 2000 interview, Dr. Yehuda Hiss, former head of the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute, confirmed that organs were harvested in the 1990s without family permission. He revealed that corneas, heart valves, skin, and bones were taken and used in various hospitals across Israel. This interview was recently released to the public by an American researcher. The allegations against the Israeli army of organ theft from deceased Palestinians in Gaza have sparked calls for an independent international investigation. These claims, supported by historical accusations and reports from medical professionals, highlight a deeply troubling issue that requires urgent scrutiny.

Sources: The Guardian, Euro News, The Cradle, CNN, WAFA News Agency