Why Israel Buries Its Dead
- Uri Pilichowski
- Oct 19
- 4 min read
US President Donald Trump was strongly moved by the desire of Israeli parents to have the bodies of their murdered sons and daughters returned. Trump said at this year’s UN General Assembly: “We want them all back, and we want the actually 38 dead bodies back, too. Those parents came to me, and they want them back, and they want them back very quickly and very badly, as though they were alive, they want them every bit as much as if their son or daughter were alive.”
President Trump’s admiration at Israel’s dedication to bury its dead has been shared by many people. The issuecomes to the forefront of people’s minds as Hamas committed to return all the bodies of dead hostages and have violated the ceasefire deal.
Why does Israel place such importance to burying its dead?
Jewish tradition demands burial
Many of the modern State of Israel’s values are based in traditional Jewish values that stem from the Torah. A verse in Deuteronomy (21:22-23) reads, “If any party is guilty of a capital offense and is put to death, and you hang the body, you must not let the corpse remain on the stake overnight but must bury it the same day. For an impaled body is an affront to God: you shall not defile the land that your God is giving you to possess.”
In his commentary to this verse, Nachmanidies wrote, “In the opinion of our Rabbis, the verse that stated, “a corpse may not be left hanging in order that you defile not your Land,” is not merely a reason, for if so, it would be permissible to leave the dead overnight outside the Land. Instead, this is a second prohibition. Whoever leaves the corpse of a criminal hanging overnight, or of any dead body in the Land transgresses two prohibitions (his body shall not remain all night upon the tree, and you shall not defile the Land) and a commandment (You shall surely bury him the same day). When outside the Land (whenever someone allows any corpse to remain overnight) he violates the commandment and a prohibition which is derived from the law of the hanging corpse.
Rabbi Doron Korbluth wrote, “Eastern religions usually require cremation. This is not surprising: they view the body as an enemy to be fought, and spirituality consists in separation from the physical. According to the Torah, however, the body is not the enemy: I couldn’t give charity without my hands, speak words of prayer without my mouth, or run to do a good deed without my legs. While the soul must remain in control, the body is a partner, and deserves to be lovingly placed in the ground, not burnt like the garbage.”
Israel’s policy of not leaving anyone behind
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a statement: “The government and all branches of Israel’s national security system are determined, committed, and working tirelessly to bring back all our fallen hostages for proper burial in their homeland.”
Israel and Trump considers Hamas not returning all of Israel’s dead bodies a violation of the ceasefire Israel signed with Hamas. “If Hamas refuses to comply with the agreement, Israel, in coordination with the United States, will resume fighting and act to achieve a total defeat of Hamas, to change the reality in Gaza and achieve all the objectives of the war.”
The Israel Defense Forces’ doctrine is that no soldier, either dead or alive, will be left behind in battle. The official policy of the Israeli government regarding missing soldiers is that, “The Government will do everything in its power to secure the release of POW’s and MIA’s and anyone who acted on behalf of state security, and to bring them home.”
Israel’s policy is not without its detractors
Critics of Israel’s policy forward arguments that decry future terrorism. “Hamas is trading 48 hostages—20 living and 28 dead—for 1,700 experienced operatives—a massive force multiplication that transforms tactical defeat into strategic victory. Every released prisoner returns to Gaza or the West Bank as a hero, a symbol of resistance, armed with years of additional training and burning with renewed purpose. History provides a grim preview of what comes next. Yahya Sinwar, the architect of October 7, spent 22 years in Israeli prison studying Hebrew, analyzing Israeli society, planning his revenge. Released in the 2011 Shalit deal among 1,026 other prisoners, he used his freedom to orchestrate the deadliest day in Israel’s history. Today, Israel is releasing another generation of potential Sinwars.”
Wrap up
Israel’s unwavering commitment to retrieving the bodies of its deceased hostages reflects deep-rooted Jewish values and national ethos. Grounded in Torah mandates for same-day burial and the sanctity of the body, the policy embodies the principle of “no one left behind,” ensuring closure for families and national solidarity. Despite critics highlighting risks of empowering adversaries through exchanges, Israel’s resolve underscores a profound cultural and moral imperative to honor its dead, balancing tradition with strategic challenges.
Uri Pilichowski is an author, speaker, and senior educator at institutions around the world.