The United Nations is calling for a thorough investigation into the mass graves uncovered at two major hospitals in Gaza that were raided by Israeli troops. The U.N. is urging for credible investigators to have access to the sites and for more journalists to be able to work safely in Gaza to report on the facts.
U.N. human rights chief Volker Türk expressed horror at the destruction of the Shifa medical center in Gaza City and Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, as well as the reported discovery of mass graves in and around the facilities. Türk called for independent and transparent investigations into the deaths, stating that the intentional killing of civilians is a war crime.
The Israeli military claims that bodies exhumed from the graves were those buried by Palestinians as part of the search for hostages captured by Hamas. The military stated that bodies not belonging to Israeli hostages were returned to their place.
The Palestinian civil defense in Gaza uncovered 283 bodies from a temporary burial ground inside the main hospital in Khan Younis. Some of the bodies were of people killed during the hospital siege, while others were killed when Israeli forces raided the hospital.
The discovery of the graves has raised questions about who should conduct an investigation. The United Nations would need authorization from one of its major bodies to conduct an investigation, according to U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric.
The International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, has stated that a probe into possible crimes by Hamas militants and Israeli forces is a priority for the court.
The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas has resulted in a devastating toll on civilians, with thousands killed and a humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza. The U.N. is emphasizing the need for a cease-fire, greater access for humanitarian aid, protection for hospitals, and the release of hostages to bring an end to the conflict.
