Gaza Herald – Al-Qassam Brigades said the body of its spokesperson Abu Obeida was not recovered following an intense Israeli airstrike that targeted the location where he was reportedly present with members of his family. According to the source, the scale and force of the bombardment left no physical trace of the body.
The statement came in the context of a broader report addressing what has been described as the “vaporization of bodies” during Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza. The source said six bombs were dropped directly on the site, resulting in destruction. Civil Defense estimates indicate that more than 3,000 bodies across Gaza remain missing under similar circumstances.
An explosives expert cited in the report explained that the phenomenon is not mysterious but rather the direct result of high-yield munitions designed for fortified military targets. The expert noted the reported use of U.S.-manufactured bombs such as the MK-84 and BLU-109 bunker busters, along with precision-guided munitions including the GBU-31, GBU-32, GBU-38, and GBU-39. These weapons are engineered to penetrate reinforced structures and generate massive thermal and blast effects.
According to the expert, while less than half a kilogram of explosives can be lethal, some of the munitions used carry up to 250 kilograms or more of explosive material. The combination of compounds such as Tritonal, PBX, and oxidized aluminum powder can produce temperatures estimated at 3,000 to 5,000 degrees Celsius at the blast center, potentially reducing bodies within the primary impact radius to ash or microscopic fragments within fractions of a second.
Individuals located slightly beyond the immediate blast zone may suffer extreme fragmentation and disintegration, making identification or recovery of remains extraordinarily difficult. The expert described the disappearance of bodies as a direct physical consequence of the thermal-pressure dynamics of such weapons rather than an unexplained anomaly.
The issue has drawn attention from investigative media programs and human rights organizations. In April 2024, the Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor called for an independent international inquiry into the types of weapons used in Gaza, including allegations involving high-temperature munitions capable of causing extreme bodily destruction since October 7, 2023.
