Disturbing Reports of Mass Graves in Gaza Raise Concerns of Possible War Crimes
GAZA — Shocking reports have surfaced regarding mass graves in Gaza where Palestinian victims were discovered stripped naked with their hands tied, sparking renewed fears of potential war crimes amidst the ongoing Israeli airstrikes, according to the UN human rights office, OHCHR, on Tuesday.
The distressing findings came after the retrieval of hundreds of bodies buried deep in the ground and covered with waste at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, central Gaza, and at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City in the north over the weekend.
A total of 283 bodies were recovered at Nasser Hospital, with 42 of them identified.
“Among the deceased were reportedly older people, women, and the wounded, some found tied with their hands bound and stripped of their clothes,” said Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
According to local health authorities in Gaza, additional bodies were found at Al-Shifa Hospital.
Before the conflict erupted on October 7, the large health complex was Gaza’s main tertiary facility. In early April, after two weeks of intense clashes, UN humanitarians confirmed that Al-Shifa was left in ruins, with most equipment destroyed.
Shamdasani informed journalists in Geneva that there were reports of 30 Palestinian bodies buried in two graves at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, some with their hands tied. Only 12 bodies have been identified so far.
Despite the Israeli Defense Forces claiming to have killed 200 Palestinians during the operation at Al-Shifa, Shamdasani suggested there could be many more victims.
UN human rights chief Volker Türk expressed horror at the destruction of Nasser and Al-Shifa hospitals and the discovery of mass graves, calling for independent investigations into the deaths.
As of April 22, over 34,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, including thousands of children and women, with tens of thousands more injured or trapped under rubble.
“Every 10 minutes, a child is killed or wounded, despite being protected under the laws of war,” said the High Commissioner.
Türk also warned against a full-scale Israeli incursion of Rafah, where over a million Gazans are trapped.
He called for an immediate ceasefire, the release of hostages, and the unfettered flow of humanitarian aid to end the suffering and destruction in the region.
In the West Bank, grave human rights violations continued, with reports of settler attacks and excessive use of force by the Israeli Security Forces.
Despite international condemnation, the violence persists, leading to further loss of life and destruction. Türk urged for accountability and justice for the victims of these atrocities.
The situation in Gaza and the West Bank remains dire, with urgent action needed to protect civilians and uphold human rights. The world must not turn a blind eye to the ongoing crisis in the region.
