The United Nations has urged for an independent, effective, and transparent investigation into the discovery of mass graves at two Gaza hospital complexes following raids by Israeli troops earlier this year. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights expressed horror at the scenes reported at the Nasser and Al-Shifa complexes.
The High Commissioner emphasized the need for international investigators due to the prevailing climate of impunity. Hospitals are granted special protection under international humanitarian law, and any intentional killing of civilians, detainees, or others who are hors de combat is considered a war crime.
Recently, a mass grave containing 324 bodies was uncovered at the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, by Gaza Civil Defense workers after Israeli forces withdrew from the area. In April, health workers exhumed corpses from mass graves at Al-Shifa, where they claimed Israeli forces had killed hundreds of Palestinians and left their bodies to decompose during a two-week siege of the complex in northern Gaza.
Following the withdrawal of Israeli forces on April 1, at least 381 bodies were recovered from Al-Shifa, as reported by the Gaza Civil Defense. The US State Department has also expressed concern over the troubling discovery of mass graves and stated that they are inquiring about the situation with the Government of Israel.
