A Palestinian woman’s family buried what they believed was her body after Israeli authorities declared her dead in detention, only to discover over a year later that she was alive but paralyzed in Israeli custody.
Story Highlights
- Bisan Fadl Muhammad Fayyad was falsely declared dead by Israeli authorities in January 2024
- Her family received a body, her clothes, and ID from officials before burying the wrong person
- Fayyad was discovered alive in March 2025, suffering from spinal injuries and partial paralysis
- The case exposes systematic failures in Israel’s detention practices and prisoner identification
Mistaken Death Declaration Shocks Gaza Family
Bisan Fadl Muhammad Fayyad’s family experienced unimaginable trauma when Israeli authorities informed them in January 2024 that she had died in detention. Officials provided her personal belongings, including clothing and identification documents, along with a body they claimed was hers. The family proceeded with burial arrangements, mourning what they believed was their loved one’s death while questioning the circumstances surrounding her detention and alleged demise.
Shocking Discovery Reveals Administrative Catastrophe
On March 21, 2025, more than a year after the burial, Fayyad’s family received a phone call that shattered their understanding of events. Israeli authorities confirmed that Fayyad was alive and remained in their custody, suffering from a spinal injury that left her partially paralyzed. This revelation not only exposed a grievous administrative error but also raised serious questions about the identity of the woman the family had buried and the systematic failures within Israel’s detention apparatus.
Broader Pattern of Detention Abuses Emerges
The Fayyad case represents a disturbing symptom of larger institutional problems within Israel’s detention system. Since October 2023, reports have documented increased deaths in custody, enforced disappearances, and systematic denial of information to Palestinian families. The Palestinian Center for the Missing and Forcibly Disappeared has highlighted how this incident exemplifies the broader crisis facing Palestinian detainees and their families, who often struggle to obtain basic information about their loved ones’ fates.
Human rights organizations have documented numerous cases of Palestinian detainees dying under unclear circumstances, with families frequently denied adequate information about the conditions leading to these deaths. The mixing up of documents and bodies, as allegedly occurred in Fayyad’s case, compounds the trauma experienced by families already struggling under the broader humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Calls for Accountability and Transparency
Advocacy groups are demanding immediate action regarding Fayyad’s case and the broader pattern of detention abuses. The Palestinian Center for the Missing and Forcibly Disappeared calls for her release and proper medical treatment, while also seeking identification of the woman whose body was mistakenly given to Fayyad’s family. These organizations emphasize that such systematic failures violate basic principles of due process and human dignity, regardless of the political context surrounding the detentions.
Palestinian woman declared dead found alive in Israeli detention months laterhttps://t.co/SoFHQXT2ix
— Middle East Eye (@MiddleEastEye) August 19, 2025
As of August 2025, Fayyad remains in Israeli custody while her family continues seeking more information about her condition and advocating for her release. The case has drawn renewed international attention to detention practices and the need for transparency in prisoner identification and notification procedures. This incident underscores the importance of proper administrative protocols and respect for families’ rights to accurate information about their detained relatives.
Sources:
Palestinian woman declared dead found alive in Israeli detention months later
WAFA Palestinian News Agency Report on Detention Issues
Palestinian prisoner dies in Israeli detention death toll rises to 73
Human Rights Watch World Report 2025: Israel and Palestine
