Story perspectives
Israel's Court Upholds Body Withholding Amid Controversy
8/17/2025
40 8
1 of 1
Story summary
- Israel's Supreme Court upheld the decision to withhold the body of 14-year-old Wadia Shadi Sa’d Elyan, killed in February 2024.
- The ruling permits using the body as leverage in negotiations with Hamas.
- Rights groups criticize this as a violation of international law, citing contradictory video evidence.
- Elyan's body has been withheld for over 18 months; Israel reportedly holds 668 Palestinian bodies.
