Support in urgent identification
7 October 2023 is now a date etched in history. The massacre of the civilians in Israel perpetrated by Hamas was unprecedented. Israel asked Switzerland for help in identifying those killed. fedpol coordinated the effort.
On 7 October 2023, Israel was celebrating Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. At 6:25am, the population woke up to the sound of sirens. The sound of sirens early in the morning is nothing new, only this time the situation was different. A barrage of smartphone messages spreading fear and anxiety confirmed the urgency of the situation.
This was the first time Israel had suffered such a violent attack on its soil. The bloody day claimed many civilian victims: children, women, men, young and old. The task of recovering and identifying their bodies was underway, with soldiers and volunteers pitching in to help. Action had to be taken quickly, because according to Jewish tradition, the dead had to be identified and buried as quickly as possible.
The Israeli National Center for Forensic Medicine, overwhelmed by the number of victims, lacked the necessary resources to identify the bodies. This why on 12 October, the Israeli authorities asked Switzerland to provide humanitarian aid. Switzerland responded immediately, the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs instructing fedpol’s Disaster Victim Identification (DVI CH) team to assist.
Disaster Victim Identification
The Swiss Disaster Victim Identification (DVI CH) team supports national and international crisis organisations in the event of disasters and major events. It was established in 2001 by the Conference of Cantonal Police Commanders of Switzerland (CCPCS). It comprises some 400 experts, including forensic specialists and investigators from fedpol and all cantonal and city police forces, as well as forensic doctors and dentists. The DVI CH is currently under the strategic direction of the Commander of the Bern Cantonal Police. Operational management is the responsibility of the Head of the Forensic Division. fedpol supports and coordinates the DVI CH’s international operations.
The DVI CH contacted the cantonal police forces, which alerted the pool of specialists, many of whom volunteered their services. At the same time, fedpol set up a task force that was to provide operational management, ensure communication with partner authorities, and monitor future involvement in Israel. The security of the DVI CH delegation was the responsibility of the Israeli authorities.
In order to gain a better understanding of the identification requirements in Israel, a fedpol officer and two experts from the DVI team flew to Tel Aviv. This enabled the fedpol coordinator to liaise between the task force and the National Center for Forensic Medicine. It was decided that five forensic specialists were needed. They would identify the deceased according to the international practices, using unique characteristics such as DNA and fingerprints.
«The mission in Israel ran smoothly thanks to the competence, professionalism and selfless commitment of all those involved, whether in the task force, the back office or above all on the ground in Israel. These were strenuous days for everyone.»
Beni, head of the International Police Cooperation Division
The workload was intense. The experts had to identify some 30 bodies, some of them unrecognisable. Although death is part of their work, the situation was sensitive and highly emotional. Their days in Tel Aviv were filled with blaring sirens.
At fedpol, the task force took stock of the situation on a daily basis: how were the specialists doing? Was the operation going to plan? Were their communication systems working? There were no issues to report; everything was going according to plan.
Their mission lasted five days. On their return, the team met with a psychologist. It was important for them to be able to discuss their feelings and experiences. Everyone returned for a well-deserved rest. The task force was stood down, mission accomplished.