More than 300 bodies found in mass grave near hospital in Gaza

Middle East, News April 24, 2024 , by IRIA No Comments

Civil Defense workers in Gaza have reported the discovery of a mass grave containing over 300 bodies at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis in the southern region. This grim finding comes after Israeli forces withdrew from the area earlier this month.

Director of Civil Defense in Khan Younis Col. Yamen Abu Suleiman reported to the media that rescue workers are still excavating the sandy soil to recover bodies located outside the hospital.

A mass grave was found in the hospital’s courtyard on Saturday after the Israeli army withdrew from the city on April 7, 2024, following a 4-month ground offensive. So far, more than 310 bodies have been found, with some 73 bodies discovered on April 22.

Suleiman said that several of the bodies had been found with hands and feet tied, “and there were signs of field executions. We do not know if they were buried alive or executed. Most of the bodies are decomposed.”

Israel’s military denied accusations of creating the mass grave at Nasser Hospital and instead said that the mass burial site was already there when Israeli forces invaded the area. The military sources said that they excavated bodies in an attempt to locate hostages taken by Hamas in October.

A new mass grave has been discovered at al-Shifa Hospital where a two-week siege by Israeli forces turned the facility into a graveyard and put what was once Gaza’s largest medical complex out of service ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/flKZ7K9DLL
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) April 16, 2024

“The claim that the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) buried Palestinian bodies is baseless and unfounded,” the Israeli military told a news reporter, adding that after examining the bodies, the forces had returned them to where they had previously been buried. Israel accused Hamas of operating in hospitals and using medical infrastructure as a shield, which Hamas denies.

UN human rights chief ‘horrified’

United Nations human rights chief Volker Turk said he was “horrified” by the destruction of both the Nasser Medical Complex and al-Shifa Hospital in the Gaza Strip. In a statement issued by the United Nations, Turk urged for independent and transparent investigations following Palestinian authorities’ announcement this week about the recovery of hundreds of bodies at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis.

“Given the prevailing climate of impunity, this should include international investigators,” Turk said, noting that hospitals are entitled to special protection under international humanitarian law and called “the intentional killing” of civilians and detainees a war crime.

Accusations of genocide against Israel have been brought to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which issued an interim ruling in January. The ruling ordered Israel to cease genocidal actions and to ensure the provision of humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza.

*^{Palestinians walk on the street filled with debris of buildings destroyed due to Israeli attacks in Gaza City. (Image Credit: Dawoud Abo Alkas/Anadolu Agency)}*

While speaking at a press briefing, United Nations Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric called for a “credible” investigation into the sites where the grave is located.

“Yet another reason is, if we needed one, for all of these sites to be fully investigated, in a way that is credible and independent,” Dujarric said. He added that a ceasefire is needed “to see an end to this conflict” in Gaza, reiterating the necessity of providing humanitarian workers with increased access, safeguarding hospitals, and releasing hostages.

Since October 7, more than 34,183 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza, Nearly 14,500 of those killed were children, according to Gaza authorities. This surge in violence followed a surprise assault by Hamas inside Israel, resulting in the deaths of more than 1,130 people.