Israel's top forensic pathologist reveals unseen Oct. 7 evidence

October 4, 2026 at 11:57 AM1 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

Prof. Chen Kugel, director of Israel's National Center of Forensic Medicine, presented previously unpublished photographs from the Oct. 7 massacre, including evidence that victims were burned alive. The institute handled more than 900 bodies from the attack and the subsequent war. Kugel sought psychological treatment and was diagnosed with PTSD months after completing victim identification.

Key Facts

Prof. Chen Kugel presented hundreds of photographs from autopsy rooms, including images never before published.
The National Center of Forensic Medicine handled more than 900 bodies from the Oct. 7 attack and the Swords of Iron war.
Kugel was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder months after completing victim identification.
A young woman from the Nova music festival was identified through DNA extracted from a crescent-shaped necklace.

Forensic Evidence

Prof. Chen Kugel, director of the National Center of Forensic Medicine in Tel Aviv, showed photographs documenting the brutality of Hamas terrorists. One image showed soot inside a victim's airway, proving the person was burned alive. A CT scan revealed that terrorists ran over a person's head.

Victim Identification

A young woman who attended the Nova music festival was shot in the legs and murdered along with 18 others when terrorists fired an RPG at an ambulance. Her body was initially misidentified because no CT scan was performed at the Shura military base. She was later identified through DNA extracted from a crescent-shaped necklace found at the funeral home.

Scale of Response

The institute received about 3,000 bags, most containing body parts and burned bones. Trucks stood in line and refrigerated containers were urgently brought in as bodies overwhelmed the facility. Kugel said the smell of the horror spread throughout the surrounding neighborhood in south Tel Aviv.