Israel Religious Affairs Official Details 7 October Victim Identification Efforts

Yehuda Avidan, Director General of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, described the immense challenge of identifying victims following the October 7th attacks, calling it an unprecedented test for the state. Avidan recounted hearing about terrorists in Sderot early on October 7th but only grasping the scale of the catastrophe later that night upon learning of 130 murders. He took responsibility for handling the bodies, coordinating with then-Minister of Interior Moshe Arbel and Minister of Religious Affairs Michael Malchieli, emphasizing the ministry's expertise in such matters.

Avidan initiated urgent conference calls with emergency services, the army, and various agencies, leading to the decision to establish the Shura Center and prepare for mass burials. He instructed heads of chevra kadisha societies to prepare fifty graves each, anticipating a need for approximately 2,000 graves. He bypassed bureaucratic procedures, authorizing necessary actions without seeking permits and assuring financial coverage, enabling work without tenders.

The ministry collaborated with the police, Ministry of Health, IDF, Military Rabbinate, and identification authorities. The police handled civilian identification, while the Military Rabbinate identified soldiers. When inter-agency disputes arose on October 8th, Avidan asserted command, promising regional authorities full support. The operation involved addressing families' needs for private burials, limited funerals amid combat, and opportunities for farewells, with speeches delivered in permitted locations when mass gatherings were impossible.

A significant challenge was the identification process itself, which extended for weeks for some civilian victims, including Israelis, foreigners, workers, Jews, and non-Jews, sometimes requiring parental DNA samples. Rabbi Yitzhak Assaf ruled that identification work must continue on Shabbat due to implications for hostages and the state. Soldiers' identification was faster due to pre-submitted DNA and fingerprint samples. Avidan noted the lack of complaints against official bodies despite the trauma.

Concurrently, Avidan established a civilian committee, led by Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, comprising rabbis, health officials, police, military, and intelligence representatives. This committee, operating within secret committees, identified the fate of 35 individuals killed in Gaza. Avidan also highlighted the crucial, yet under-recognized, contributions of Zak volunteers and Haredi volunteers who worked for extended periods. The ministry managed temporary cemeteries, organized burials according to Halakha, and facilitated grave relocations and headstone installations, striving to meet every request, from basic necessities to funeral-related services.