First responders to massacre saw raped and abused bodies, but the rapidity of events – and cultural taboos – may leave the truth uncovered ... While Mr Otmazgin was collecting the bodies in the field, the Israel Defense Force’s (IDF’s) base receiving the corpses was already overflowing. Shari Mendes, an architect in civilian life, was one of many called up as a reservist to the military base of Shura to help identify and prepare for burial at speed under Jewish tradition. “Many young women arrived in bloody, shredded rags or just in underwear, and their underwear was often very bloody...
