Israeli officials confirmed Saturday they successfully returned the remains of a 14-year-old Palestinian after mistakenly handing back a different corpse to the teenager's family the previous evening.
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In a statement issued Friday, the Israeli army apologized for its "unfortunate mistake" and said the error is being reviewed.
About a dozen Palestinians chanting "greeting to the martyr" gathered around the body of Amjad Abu Sultan, killed last month in a West Bank riot, after it was handed over to the Palestinian side at a military checkpoint near Bethlehem.
Friday's error sharpened focus on Israel's controversial policy of withholding remains of Palestinians killed while allegedly carrying out attacks. Israel says the policy serves as a deterrent for future attacks and leverage for prisoner exchanges, while rights groups say the action is a form of collective punishment inflicted on grieving families.
