The Israeli government has informed the Supreme Court that it will continue withholding the body of Walid Daqqa, a Palestinian citizen of Israel who died while still a prisoner, the human rights group Adalah has said, slamming what it described as Israel’s “long-standing policy of withholding Palestinian bodies in order to use them as bargaining chips”, Al Jazeera reports.

Daqqa’s body has been withheld by Israeli authorities since his death on April 7.

“Military orders are [now] being used to detain the bodies of Palestinian citizens for political purposes, illustrating that citizenship does not shield Palestinians from Israeli oppression. Israel is denying Palestinians the right to bury their deceased promptly and with dignity,” Adalah said in a statement.

“This policy not only contravenes international law, but exposes yet again Israel’s system of subjugation and repression of Palestinians, both in life and death.”

Since October 7, the police have released the bodies of two Palestinian citizens of Israel, previously held without authority, only after Adalah petitioned the Supreme Court on behalf of the families of the deceased.