UN criticises Israel over recovery of bodies from Gaza Strip rubble

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has expressed serious concerns over the conduct of Israeli forces in Gaza, criticizing their continued bulldozing of sites where human remains could still be buried under the rubble. Türk, speaking from Geneva, warned that the remains recovered so far may only be a fraction of what is still buried beneath the rubble, which has been flattened by Israeli bombing or demolished by heavy machinery and explosives.

He emphasized that many areas in Gaza continue to be levelled by bulldozers with no respect for the dead. Türk also highlighted the right of relatives to bury their family members with dignity and stressed that any evidence of breaches of international law during Israeli attacks must be secured. He called for effective investigations into these attacks, urging all states to press for greater cooperation and coordination to ensure the dignified recovery of bodies across all of Gaza.

The OHCHR has documented in 2024 that Israel's use of heavy bombs in residential areas may have violated international law, and Türk called for international investigators to be granted access to all parts of the Gaza Strip to assist with the preservation of evidence. The Palestinian authorities report that the remains of 630 people have been recovered since November 2025, with at least 8,000 people still missing across the Gaza Strip.

Brief written by urgent.news from Qatar Tribune's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.