Israel has "evaporated" and incinerated hundreds of Palestinians in Gaza during its genocidal campaign on the enclave through the use of thermal and thermobaric weapons, leaving no identifiable remains to bury, an investigation published on Monday has found.
The Israeli military used weapons described as vacuum or aerosol bombs, capable of generating temperatures exceeding 3,500 degrees Celsius, the Al Jazeera investigation found.
Of the more than 72,000 Palestinians reported killed since October 2023, 2,845 are believed to have been "evaporated" by thermal weapons, leaving behind only blood spray or scattered fragments of tissue, according to the investigation.
The findings were said to have been corroborated by Civil Defence teams in Gaza. A spokesperson for Gaza's Civil Defence said the data is based on field investigations and extensive searches for biological traces on the walls of homes following Israeli strikes.
The report details how certain chemical compositions in munitions can generate extreme heat capable of incinerating human bodies within seconds. Thermobaric weapons work by dispersing a cloud of fuel that ignites, creating an intense fireball and a vacuum effect.
Military experts cited in the investigation said that metals such as aluminium, magnesium and titanium are often added to explosive mixtures to significantly increase temperature.
The investigation also points to the use of TNT combined with aluminium powder in US-manufactured bombs, including the MK 84, which it says can generate intense heat upon detonation.
The findings come as Israel faces continued accusations of war crimes in Gaza, including forced displacement, restrictions on food and emergency aid, and attacks on civilian infrastructure such as hospitals.
Legal experts quoted in the report argue that the alleged use of thermobaric or high-temperature munitions in densely populated civilian areas could raise questions not only about Israel’s conduct but also about the role of supplier states. The investigation names US-manufactured weapons, including the MK 84, GBU 39 and BLU 109, as being linked to incidents involving severe incineration.
Under international humanitarian law, the use of weapons that cannot distinguish between civilians and combatants may constitute violations of the laws of war.
The report also raises questions about accountability, noting that the International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The allegations come as at least 591 Palestinians have reportedly been killed since a ceasefire was agreed in October. Israeli forces have also continued demolishing buildings in Gaza following the truce.
Since the start of the war, Palestinian officials and rights groups have accused Israel of preventing families from burying their loved ones with dignity, whether by withholding bodies, targeting mourners, or leaving victims’ remains fragmented beyond recognition.