Many of the 90 bodies of Palestinians returned to Gaza by Israeli authorities under the ceasefire deal showed signs of torture and execution, including blindfolds, cuffed hands and bullet wounds in the head, according to doctors’ accounts.

“Almost all of them had been blindfolded, and had been bound up and they had gunshots between the eyes. Almost all of them had been executed,” said Dr Ahmed al-Farra, the head of Nasser hospital’s paediatric department.

  • ArbitraryValue@sh.itjust.works
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    3 days ago

    Handcuffs can leave signs, but I’m not sure how examining a body could indicate that the person had been blindfolded. Were the bodies returned with blindfolds on?

    • acargitz@lemmy.ca
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      2 days ago

      CONTENT WARNING (also, link is to a reddit thread, the image should come up blurred when the link is clicked): here is a very graphic pic that has been shared.

      The image shows a male body with a rope tied around his neck and a blindfold, ashy body with blood stained all over him. It is said that the body was handed over by the Israeli army to the Red Cross Committee in the Gaza Strip.

    • LePoisson@lemmy.world
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      3 days ago

      This is literally ripped from me asking Gemini “how can a medical examiner tell if a person was blindfolded when they died” so I expect down votes since I’m being forthright about that and not just pawning it off as my own.

      Tl;Dr: markings, particularly bruising, fiber or other material remnants, blood vessels in the eyes rupturing from the blindfold.

      Here’s what the ai said:

      A medical examiner (forensic pathologist) can determine if a person was blindfolded at the time of death by looking for several types of evidence, primarily through a thorough external examination of the body and the scene investigation. Key indicators that might be present include:

      • Imprints or Markings on the Skin:
        • Bruising (Contusions): The force or pressure of a tight blindfold, especially if the person struggled, can leave distinct bruises on the skin around the eyes, across the bridge of the nose, and/or around the head.
        • Abrasions (Scrapes): Friction from the material moving against the skin, particularly near bony prominences like the orbital ridges or bridge of the nose, can cause scrapes.
        • Ligature Marks: A fold, crease, or indentation in the skin, often in the pattern of the blindfold material (e.g., a line for a strip of cloth, a crosshatch pattern for gauze), can be visible. These are similar to those seen from restraints or ligatures.
      • Trace Evidence:
        • Fibers or Residue: The material used for the blindfold (e.g., fabric fibers, tape residue) might be transferred to the skin, hair, or eyelashes of the deceased. These small pieces of evidence are collected and analyzed by forensic scientists.
      • Hemorrhages (Bleeding):
        • Petechiae: Small, pinpoint hemorrhages (broken blood vessels) in the conjunctiva (the lining of the eyelids and eye) or the skin of the eyelids can be caused by the pressure of a tight restraint around the head or neck area, which can obstruct venous return.
      • Scene Investigation:
        • The Blindfold Itself: The most direct evidence is the discovery of the blindfold still on the body or nearby. The medical examiner or crime scene investigators will document its position and material.
        • Associated Evidence: The location of the body, other restraints, and signs of a struggle can corroborate the use of a blindfold as part of a struggle, kidnapping, or execution. The findings from the external examination and the scene are crucial because they represent ante-mortem (occurring before death) or peri-mortem (occurring around the time of death) events. If the markings show signs of vital reaction (like bruising/bleeding), it confirms the person was blindfolded while still alive or in the process of dying.
      • Pamasich@kbin.earth
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        2 days ago

        Upvoted you for disclosing the use of AI, while providing new information no one else in the thread has been able to provide without AI. Due to disclosing it, anyone who doesn’t want AI can skip the comment, but anyone who’d be glad for the information can still get it. It also makes it clear that this is of questionable reliability, which is good enough in this context, but one shouldn’t use this as a source when doing their own medical examinations.

    • shalafi@lemmy.world
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      3 days ago

      Fair question. Cloth fragments in the bullet hole? I know a lot of forensics, a la TV shows, is bullshit, but a motivated investigator with resources can find some wild shit.