GENEVA: The United Nations on Tuesday called for an international investigation into reports of mass graves discovered at two Gaza hospitals that were destroyed by Israeli forces during sieges, saying war crimes may have been committed. The UN rights office said it was “horrified” by the destruction of Gaza’s largest medical facility, Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, and its second-largest, the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis.
According to the Palestinian territory’s Civil Defence agency, health workers exhumed over 200 bodies at the besieged Nasser hospital, where Israeli troops conducted operations last month. Similarly, the World Health Organization reported in early April that Al-Shifa Hospital had been reduced to rubble by Israeli siege tactics, leaving behind an “empty shell” housing several bodies.
UN rights chief Volker Turk emphasized the need for “independent, effective, and transparent investigations into the deaths,” citing the gravity of the situation. He insisted that international investigators should be involved due to the prevailing climate of impunity. Hospitals, protected under international law, have been repeatedly targeted by Israeli bombardments during the protracted conflict in Gaza.
“Hospitals are entitled to very special protection under international humanitarian law,” Turk underscored, denouncing any intentional killings of civilians, detainees, or those hors de combat as war crimes. “And the intentional killing of civilians, detainees and others who are hors de combat is a war crime.”
The UN rights office, while lacking independent information on the events at the hospitals, is collaborating with Gaza authorities to verify the reports. According to spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani, efforts are underway to confirm the details provided by Gaza authorities, including the recovery of 283 bodies from Nasser hospital, with 42 identified victims.
Shamdasani relayed disturbing accounts, indicating that victims were buried deep in the ground and covered with waste, with some found with their hands tied and stripped of clothing. “Victims had reportedly been buried deep in the ground and covered with waste,” she told reporters in Geneva. Older people, women and wounded were reportedly among the dead, she said.
Reports from Al-Shifa Hospital suggested a potentially higher death toll than the initial estimate of around 200 Palestinians killed during the military operation there.
Furthermore, Shamdasani pointed to the discovery of around 30 bodies buried in graves within Al-Shifa Hospital’s courtyard, with some allegedly found with their hands tied. “And there are reports that the hands of some of these bodies were also tied,” Shamdasani said. The UN emphasizes the need for international investigations to corroborate exact figures and address the serious violations of international law. So far, she said, the UN “can’t corroborate the exact figures” of people killed at the two hospitals, underlining: “This is why we are stressing the need for international investigations”. “Clearly there have been multiple bodies discovered,” she said.
The reports that some had their hands tied indicated “serious violations” of international law, she added. “These need to be subjected to further investigation… They can’t just be more reports in this horrific war that just pass under the radar,” Shamdasani stressed. “These need to be subjected to further investigation… They can’t just be more reports in this horrific war that just pass under the radar.”
