Chen Kugel

Chen Kugel (; born 14 May 1962) is an Israeli forensic pathologist, and chief pathologist of the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute.

Early life

Kugel was born on 14 May 1962 in Holon, the son of Jehuda and Riwka (née Roiter) Kugel, and the grandson of a former mayor of Holon, Chaim Kugel.Chaim Kugel
yadvashem.orgThe Munkács Hebrew Gymnasium
from yadvashem.org
calcalist.co.il

Education and work

Kugel graduated as a Doctor of Medicine from the Ben Gurion University in 1987. Between 1988 and 1992, he worked in various positions as a medical doctor in the Israeli military forces, while from 1992 to 1999 he worked in forensic medicine. In 2012 he was appointed chief pathologist at the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute.

As head of the Forensic Institute, Kugel oversaw the investigation of bodies from the 7 October attacks, and was interviewed for various media outlets to discuss his findings. For this work he was awarded the Israel Prize in March 2024.

On 18 October 2024, following Yahya Sinwar's killing by the Israel Defense Forces, Kugel conducted an autopsy on Sinwar's body. He concluded that Sinwar died from a gunshot wound to the head, causing severe traumatic brain injury.

Tom Hurndall

In the case of the killing of Tom Hurndall by Israeli soldier Taysir Hayb, the defence attempted to raise doubts as to what ultimately caused Hurndall's death. A military court was informed that Hurndall died of pneumonia. Chen Kugel, appearing for the defence, stated that the pneumonia had not been properly treated and "the large amounts of morphine" Hurndall was receiving contributed to his death.
The court rejected these claims.Simon Atkinson,
British peace activist was ‘intentionally killed’
, ''The Guardian'', 10 April 2006.

Israel-Gaza war and false claims of beheaded babies

During the Gaza war, Kugel in his role as Israel's chief forensic pathologist overseeing the investigation of 7 October bodies told ''The Economist'' that he had "seen the burnt, headless bodies of babies, although he could not say for certain whether they had been beheaded."

In a piece in ''The Media Line'' focused on his work, Kugel again claimed that many of the bodies, including those of babies, were without heads. When asked if these had been decapitated, Kugel answered yes. He added that it was difficult to determine whether they had been decapitated before or after death, or whether their heads had been "cut off by knife or blown off by RPG".The biblical archaeologist finding the victims Hamas burned
Nov 5th 2023, Wendell Steavenson, The Economist

However Haaretz, citing sources including Israel's National Insurance Institute, kibbutz leaders and the police, reported that one baby was killed on 7 October,Hamas Committed Documented Atrocities. But a Few False Stories Feed the Deniers
Nir Hasson and Liza Rozovsky, Dec 4, 2023, Haaretz caused by a stray bullet in kibbutz Be'eri. Haaretz concluded that any claims of beheaded babies were false. In a detailed investigation Le Monde also concluded claims of beheaded babies were false.

See also

* Ziad Abu Ein Autopsy

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kugel, Chen
Israeli pathologists
Living people
1962 births
21st-century Israeli physicians
Israeli military doctors
People from Holon
Ben-Gurion University of the Negev alumni