Shura Army Base

As of November 12th, Israel’s limited number of forensic scientists have tirelessly worked to identify 846 civilians, following the brutal rape and murder of more than 1200 people by the Hamas terror group over a month ago. The identification process is still ongoing.

The total death toll was revised from 1400 to 1200, as stated by the spokesperson for Israel’s foreign ministry, attributing the initial figure to an “initial estimate” that has now been updated.

The Israel Daily News Podcast visited the Shura Army Base, where professionals are working around the clock to identify the deceased and provide information and closure to family and friends affected by the October 7th massacre.

Upon arrival at the base in Ramle, international reporters observed seven or eight enormous freezers, each with two large doors. Several white tents were set up to the side where workers were diligently processing the remains. Lead forensic scientist Michal Levin, with teary eyes, mentioned that some bodies were so charred that they had to rely on crowns of teeth for DNA sampling, especially in cases where entire families were decimated, leaving no alternative DNA samples.

 

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During a press assembly, workers opened the freezers, releasing a stench of ice and decaying bodies that shocked everyone. While the camera lens provided a buffer, the naked eye faced shelves holding large, medium, and small body bags. Some small bags contained babies and toddlers, while others held unconnected, unidentified body parts. The scene was disturbing and upsetting, leaving the press in disoriented silence after the doors were closed.

Dean Elsdunne, the international spokesperson for the Israel Police Department, expressed his disturbance at the volume of denials from the international community regarding the situation.