350 bags of unidentified body parts from October 7 linger at Shura Base, caught in a political tug of war  

A year and a half after October 7th, Shura Base near Ramla still holds two refrigerated containers with about 350 bags of unidentified body parts, a haunting reminder of the massacre’s toll.

The military rabbinate and Chief Rabbinate want to retest these remains to ensure proper burial, but the Ministry of Religious Services opposes, favoring a mass grave for some. This sensitive issue has turned into a tug-of-war over authority, resources, and respect for the dead.

A Base Overwhelmed

Shura Base is home to the military rabbinate. It also houses the Zvi Center, designed to identify fallen soldiers using DNA sampling, CT scans, dental records, and other tools. Opened four years ago, it was built for tough scenarios like wars or mass casualties, but nothing prepared it for October 7.

That day, and in the weeks after, the base received not only soldiers, police, and security personnel killed in battle but also hundreds of civilian victims. The Zvi Center’s refrigerated containers filled up fast with body bags, forcing the base to add more in an area called the Betzer Compound, led by reserve Col. Hod Betzer. Even those overflowed as bodies kept arriving.

The military rabbinate couldn’t handle the volume alone. The Ministry of Religious Services, responsible for civilian burials, teamed up with the IDF, police, Ministry of Health, and Institute of Forensic Medicine for a massive identification effort. Shura’s soldiers, joined by Home Front Command troops, reservists, police, and volunteers, worked nonstop to sort and identify hundreds of bodies, many in horrific condition. It was grueling, sacred work, but the scale and the state of the remains, often charred or fragmented, made it a nightmare. Complex DNA tests and other methods delayed answers for families, some waiting weeks for news.

Over time, most containers emptied. Identified bodies were buried, and unidentified ones were declared missing, later confirmed as hostages or abducted fallen. But a Yediot Ahronot investigation reveals two containers remain, holding around 350 bags of unidentified body parts, a lingering challenge from that dark day.

A Fight Over What’s Next

The Chief Rabbinate and IDF’s Chief Rabbi, Brig. Gen. Eyal Krim, want to retest these bags to identify any Israeli remains for proper Jewish burial. The IDF has budgeted for this, estimating 3,000 ILS per bag for two DNA tests, plus minor costs.

But Yehuda Avidan, director general of the Ministry of Religious Services, backed by Dr. Chen Kugel of the Institute of Forensic Medicine, opposes retesting all bags. They argue it’s unnecessary and that the Ministry, not the IDF, has authority over civilian remains, suggesting unidentified bags be buried in a shared grave. The military rabbinate calls this unacceptable, pushing back hard.

The bags are split into two groups: “non sampleable,” like charred bones unlikely to yield DNA, and “no match,” with partial or full DNA not fitting Israeli or terrorist profiles. The rabbinate suspects Israeli remains in both, especially non sampleable ones, based on where they were found, and believes some could be tested with more effort.

The joint committee, Ministry of Religious Services, Ministry of Health, Institute of Forensic Medicine, and police, says retesting already sampled bags wastes resources and could destroy remains, disrespecting the dead. Some bags, they claim, hold minimal fragments, like 50 grams of bone, not worth retesting. Others, a source alleges, sit untouched, though the Ministry denies this.

Six months ago, the rabbinate retested 1,660 bags at Sde Teiman, where terrorist bodies are stored, and found Israeli remains, raising fears of similar mix ups at Shura. A tragic case last year, where remains of Elyakim Libman, a Nova festival guard, were found in Victoria Gorlov’s grave, shows the stakes: one family reopened a grave, another waited months for answers due to an error.

Power, Politics, and Pain

The standoff isn’t just about procedure; it’s tangled in power and, some say, politics. The rabbinate, backed by Chief Rabbi David Yosef’s March ruling that “every effort” must be made to identify remains for Jewish burial, sees retesting as a moral duty. Yosef’s ruling, citing the need to honor the dead, binds the Ministry halachically, but Avidan resists, arguing practicality and authority. A source close to the issue fears the Ministry worries about backlash if Israeli remains, unburied for 18 months alongside terrorists, are identified, forcing painful notifications to families.

Some point to Shas party dynamics. Avidan, close to Arye Deri and brother to Health Minister Uriel Buso, is tied to former Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, replaced by his brother David last year. Tensions between the Yosefs, seen in disputes over Haredi conscription, may encourage Avidan’s pushback against David’s ruling, a move to assert control, sources claim. The Ministry denies any connection. Others argue the rabbinate is using the issue to justify its labs’ budgets, a charge it rejects.

A Lingering Question

The 350 bags wait in Shura’s containers, their fate hinging on the committee’s decision. If Rabbi Krim and Rabbi Yosef prevail, all viable bags will be retested, potentially identifying more Israelis for burial.

The Ministry said: “We’ve handled all fallen with utmost care, prioritizing families’ dignity without fanfare. All bags were processed professionally by the Institute of Forensic Medicine and police, with tests documented. We’ll continue working with relevant bodies, preparing for further tests based on professional standards. There’s no dispute with Rabbi David Yosef, whose halachic authority we follow. Claims linking this to Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef are baseless. We’ll keep treating the deceased with respect.”

The IDF issued this response: “Decisions about Shura’s containers rest with state authorities. The IDF will follow their guidance.”

If Avidan and Kugel win, some bags may be buried anonymously, leaving families without closure. The Ministry insists it’s acted with “immense sensitivity,” but for now, the remains sit, a silent testament to a tragedy still unresolved.

Ynet contributed to this article.