Israel on Thursday handed over the remains of 91 Palestinians killed during anti-Israeli attacks, some of whom died more than 40 years ago, officials on both sides said.
The transfer began before dawn, when Israel formally gave the bodies to the Palestinians at a location near the West Bank city of Jericho, with 79 of them immediately transferred to Ramallah and the other 12 sent to Gaza.
“We received the remains of 91 martyrs, 79 from the West Bank and 12 from Gaza who had been buried in an inhumane and unethical fashion in the Jordan Valley,” said Hussein al-Sheikh, head of the Palestinian general committee for civil affairs. “They will all be wrapped in a shroud and the Palestinian flag, they will be identified and have the last rites performed,” he said.
Published 31 May 2012, 18:48 IST