Gaza mass graves

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Mass graves have been discovered in Gaza during the Israel-Hamas War. These graves were found in two large hospitals; Nasser Hospital and Al-Shifa Hospital that were raided by Israeli soldiers. Graves were also found in Beit Lahia and Deir al-Balah.^[1] The discovery has caused international concern and calls for an investigation. The United Nations has called for a clear, transparent and credible investigation.^[2][3]

Background[edit]

Since the start of the war, Israel has attacked, damaged or destroyed nearly every hospital in the Gaza Strip.^[4] In January 2024, the Gazan health ministry said that 40 bodies were buried inside the hospital due to "the siege on the neighbourhoods close to Nasser Hospital".^[5] A Nasser hospital official had told journalists in January that hospital staff had buried around 150 bodies in the hospital's yard.^[6]

The hospital was shelled multiple times throughout the war and received significant international media coverage after the death of a 13-year-old amputee, Donia Abu Mohsen, who had survived a previous Israeli airstrike that had killed her entire family.^[7][8][9] Nasser Hospital was reported to be non-functional after a February Israeli raid.^[10]

Israeli soldiers entered the hospital on 15 February 2024 from the south, destroying tents and bulldozing a mass grave.^[11][12][13] Israel stated it exhumed and examined some 400 corpses looking for Israeli hostages.^[14][a]

Due to power outages during the entry of Israeli soldiers into the hospital, five patients in the hospital died.^[16] On 18 February, the World Health Organization said the hospital could no longer serve its patients, and that the hospital was no longer functional.^[17] Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus attributed the hospital's inability to continue operating to the Israeli siege and raid.^[17]

As of 23 February, the hospital no longer had food, water or oxygen for patients.^[18] The Gaza Health Ministry attributed thirteen patient deaths to the lack of electricity and oxygen at the hospital.^[18]

Mass graves had previously been discovered at Al-Shifa Hospital after the siege there earlier in 2024.^[19]

List of discovered graves[edit]

Nasser Medical Complex[edit]

In April 2024, following the withdrawal of Israeli forces, over 300 bodies of young men, women, and children were unearthed at the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis, Gaza, after Israeli military withdrawal. The bodies exhibited signs of having been bound and potentially executed in the field. Reports indicate that two other mass graves have been identified, but have yet to be excavated. ^[20][21][22]

Al-Shifa Hospital[edit]

In April 2024, health workers in Gaza exhumed the first bodies from mass graves at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, where at least 381 bodies were found after the withdrawal of Israeli forces, following their two-week siege. Many bodies showed signs of severe trauma, including being crushed or disfigured, partially as a result of being ran over by Israeli tanks.^[23] The graves included both buried and above-ground remains, some under dirt or plastic sheeting. ^[24][25]

Beit Lahiya[edit]

A mass grave has been discovered on the grounds of a school in Beit Lahiya, in the northern Gaza Strip. The bodies of 30 Palestinians were reportedly found in body bags, blindfolded and their hands tied behind their backs. The Palestinian Prisoners' Club has confirmed the discovery and indicated that the victims were under detention, suggesting they were executed in the field. The victims' identities, circumstances and dates of death are unknown.^[26][27][28]

Deir al Balah[edit]

A mass grave was also discovered in Deir al-Balah. At least 50 people have been buried in a mass grave due to the large number of casualties, said the city's mayor, Diab Al-Jaro.^[29]

UN’s call for investigation[edit]

The United Nations called for clear, transparent and credible investigations into the mass graves.^[30] Volker Turk emphasized that hospitals are entitled to very special protection under international humanitarian law.^[31] He also stated that the deliberate killing of civilians, prisoners, and others who are hors de combat (unable to participate in combat) is a war crime.^[32]

Israel-Hamas response[edit]

The Israeli Defence Forces said the accusations of them causing the killings were "baseless and unfounded."^[33] The IDF said that during its operation "in the area of Nasser Hospital, in accordance to the effort to locate hostages and missing persons, corpses buried by Palestinians in the area of Nasser Hospital were examined."^[34] They further stated that “Bodies examined, which did not belong to Israeli hostages, were returned to their place.”^[34][35] Sky News published an analysis of satellite imagery and social media footage of mass graves dug by Palestinians during Israel's siege, which were later bulldozed by the IDF.^[36]

Hamas has criticized the international community for its silence after the discovery of mass graves in Gaza. They called the findings evidence of Zionist fascism and war crimes. Hamas demanded that international institutions hold Israel accountable.^[37]

Reactions[edit]

•  Egypt: The Egyptian Foreign Ministry said that it is sad and shameful that even in the 21st century, violations of international laws and human values continue in this way. Egypt said it condemned violations of international law, including the targeting of civilians, displaced persons and medical teams by Israeli forces.^[38]

•  Jordan: Jordanian Foreign Ministry spokesman Sufyan Qadah reiterated the kingdom's condemnation of Israeli actions and crimes, adding that these actions are not only a violation of international law and humanitarian law, but also war crimes.^[39]

•  Palestine: Palestinian officials have called for an international investigation after a mass grave of people who were blindfolded and handcuffed was found in Gaza. The Palestinian Foreign Ministry called for an international investigation into what it described as an Israeli massacre, and demanded that a team visit Gaza to find out the reality and extent of this genocide to which our people are being exposed.^[40]

•  Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia has condemned Israeli war crimes in the Gaza Strip. The kingdom's foreign ministry emphasized that the international community's failure to hold Israel accountable for its violations of international law will only lead to more violations and an increase in humanitarian tragedies and destruction.^[41]

•  United States: The US State Department has expressed concern over mass graves. Spokesman Matthew Miller said the US was inquiries with Israel about the reports. The US has asked Israel about reports of mass graves.^[42][43]

• The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has condemned Israel's continuous and tragic massacre of Palestinians following the discovery of a mass grave. The OIC said it called the discovery of the mass grave "a war crime, a crime against humanity, and organized state terrorism that requires investigation, accountability and sanction under international criminal law".^[44][45]

• United Nations rights chief Volker Türk said that he was "horrified" by the site and called for an international investigation.^[46] The U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights said the attack indicated "serious violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law."^[47]

Notes[edit]

References[edit]