UN human rights experts reported that around 4,000 Palestinians, including children and the elderly, along with 51 Israelis, have been classified as missing since October 7, 2023.
In a statement that also involved members of the working group on enforced disappearances and Francesca Albanese, the special rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, experts urged the authorities in both Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories to disclose the fate of all victims of enforced disappearance. They emphasized that such disappearances cannot be justified, even in situations of war, instability, or public emergencies.
The experts noted that twenty months of violent actions from the Israeli military have contributed to a rise in patterns of enforced disappearances among Palestinians in Gaza and other areas of the occupied territories.
They stated that the pain and suffering experienced by the families of the missing could amount to a form of psychological torture or other inhumane treatment.
The experts called for the immediate and unconditional release of all remaining hostages in Gaza, as well as the prompt clarification of the fate and whereabouts, legal status, and health conditions of all Palestinians who have gone missing.
The statement highlighted that the UN working group on enforced or involuntary disappearances raised these concerns in a letter sent to the Israeli government, which has yet to respond.