UN human rights chief accuses Israel of war crimes following remains discovered under Gaza rubble

The UN human rights chief, Volker Turk, has accused Israel of committing war crimes following the discovery of human remains under rubble in Gaza. The remains, believed to be of entire families, were found during Israeli strikes that began nearly three years ago. Turk expressed deep concern that the families of missing individuals are only now realizing their worst fears were confirmed.

This comes in line with a 2024 UN report that suggested Israeli strikes on residential buildings and civilian sites during the early weeks of the war might have violated international humanitarian law.

The Israeli government has consistently denied allegations of deliberately targeting civilians and claimed it acted in line with international law while combating Hamas terrorists in Gaza. The conflict, launched after a deadly Hamas raid into Israel in October 2023, has resulted in approximately 61 million tons of rubble, which could take up to seven years to clear, according to the United Nations.

A US-brokered ceasefire ended full-scale fighting in October 2025 but has not stopped regular Israeli strikes as both sides accuse each other of violating the truce.

Turk warned that the remains recovered so far might only represent a small fraction of the total, given that large parts of Gaza have been flattened or demolished. He also accused Israel of continuing to demolish areas where its forces remain, stating that bulldozers are operating without respect for the dead under the rubble. The UN rights office for the Palestinian Territory reported that Israeli restrictions on DNA kits and excavators are hindering recovery and identification efforts.

Turk called for international investigators to have access to all parts of Gaza to help preserve evidence, emphasizing the need for evidence gathering and human remains identification before any clearance begins.