UN Rights Chief Says Uncovered Remains in Gaza Raise Concerns of War Crimes
- On Tuesday, the United Nations called on Israel to grant international investigators access to all parts of Gaza to assist with evidence-gathering as recovery of human remains from destroyed sites continues.
- UN rights chief Volker Turk reported that remains of entire families are being unearthed across Gaza, warning these discoveries resurface concerns about possible war crimes, with many victims being women and children.
- Since November 2025, the Palestinian Civil Defence has recovered more than 630 bodies from beneath destroyed buildings, while estimating that over 8,000 people remain buried in the wreckage.
- Describing the recovery as 'only the tip of the iceberg,' Turk noted that Israel has blocked entry of heavy machinery needed to clear rubble while continuing to level areas with bulldozers.
- The United Nations reports that Israel's assault generated around 61 million tons of wreckage that could take seven years to clear, while a 2024 UN report identified potential humanitarian law violations during early war weeks.
76 Articles
76 Articles
Hundreds of bodies exhumed in Gaza raise serious concerns about the preservation of evidence and the identification of victims, while recovery operations remain hampered.
UN urges foreign investigators' access to Gaza as hundreds of bodies pulled from rubble
Palestinian Civil Defence teams said they recovered over 800 bodies and other human remains; more than 8,000 missing people are believed to still be under the rubble
UN WARNS of possible war crimes after hundreds of bodies were found in Gaza ruins, with thousands of victims still awaiting identification and justice.
High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk today calls for the entry of international investigators in Gaza to preserve the evidence of "war crimes" and identify the thousands of victims still buried under the rubble, killed by the Israeli army.
"Israel refuses the entry of heavy vehicles for the clearing of rubble," said the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on Tuesday.
The UN Human Rights Commissioner accuses Israel's military of destroying areas in the Gaza Strip "without regard for the dead under the rubble." His organization needed complete access to these areas - also to collect evidence.
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 44% of the sources lean Left
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
