As part of the ongoing efforts by the Palestinian Center for Missing and Forcibly Disappeared (PCMFD) to document cases of disappearance and enforced disappearance in the Gaza Strip, the Center is documenting the disappearance of Tariq Jamal An’am Omar. This case presents strong, direct indicators of enforced disappearance, or direct targeting by Israeli occupation forces.
According to information and testimonies documented by the Center, and pursuant to authorization granted by the family, 39-year-old Tariq Omar (born November 4, 1984; resident of Gaza – Al-Shati Camp), a freelancer, went missing on November 17, 2023.
Details of the Incident and Disappearance
According to available documentation, Tariq left his home on November 17, 2023, at approximately 1:00 PM, complying with evacuation orders issued by Israeli forces requiring residents to displace southward. Suffering from chronic medical conditions, Tariq was unable to continue walking and collapsed near the gate of Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City.
Amid heavy reconnaissance and quadcopter drone activity, his family (mother, sisters, and brother) was forced to flee to preserve their lives. Tariq urged his brother to proceed for his own safety, handing over his identity documents and mobile phone, and attempted to enter Al-Shifa Hospital for medical care. All contact was lost immediately thereafter, and his family received no official information regarding his fate.
Despite official secrecy, documented testimony from a released detainee reported seeing Tariq inside Ofer Prison in July 2024, corroborating allegations of his detention by Israeli authorities.
Tariq’s disappearance following his collapse near a besieged medical facility—coupled with the occupation authorities’ total refusal to disclose his location or acknowledge his detention—places this case within the scope of targeted killing with body concealment, or the crime of enforced disappearance prohibited under international law and international humanitarian law. These practices constitute a grave violation of the Geneva Conventions, which mandate special protection for civilians and the sick during armed conflicts and guarantee families the inalienable right to know the fate of their relatives.
Search Efforts and Actions Taken
Following his disappearance, Tariq’s family pursued all available avenues, contacting the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and HaMoked – Center for the Defence of the Individual. To date, the family has received no concrete information regarding his location or health status.
Acting on direct authorization from the family, PCMFD submitted an urgent formal communication to the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID) in Geneva on April 1, 2026. The submission urges UN mechanisms to pressure Israeli authorities to investigate his disappearance, immediately reveal his place of detention, end his incommunicado status, and provide necessary medical care.
Unknown Fate and Urgent Appeal
Tariq Omar remains forcibly disappeared. His family and PCMFD urgently appeal to human rights organizations and international bodies to intervene, secure his location, and ensure his protection. This case exemplifies the compounded suffering of sick civilians detained or forcibly disappeared during evacuation or near medical facilities, requiring decisive international action to end the policy of denial and uphold the right to know the truth.
