UN rights chief says recovery of hundreds of bodies from rubble in Gaza raises concerns of war crimes

The United Nations human rights chief has expressed alarm over the discovery of hundreds of bodies buried beneath the rubble of buildings destroyed by Israeli strikes in Gaza. Volker Turk stated that the remains of entire families, as well as numerous women and children, have been unearthed from sites targeted during the conflict that began nearly three years ago. "It is heartbreaking that the loved ones of those missing for so long are only now having their worst fears confirmed," he said in a statement.

Turk highlighted that these discoveries have reignited concerns previously raised in a 2024 UN report, which found that Israeli strikes on residential buildings and other civilian sites during the early stages of the onslaught might have violated international humanitarian law. The Israeli government has consistently denied allegations of deliberately targeting civilians, claiming compliance with international law.

Since October 2023, the UN reports that over 61 million tons of debris and wreckage have accumulated in Gaza, with the clearance process potentially taking up to seven years to complete. A US-brokered ceasefire in October 2025 has not halted the regular Israeli strikes, leaving the area largely destroyed.

Turk acknowledged that the recovered bodies may represent only a fraction of the total, citing the extensive devastation. He also accused Israel of continuing to demolish and clear areas of Gaza where its forces remain present, asserting that bulldozers operate without regard for human remains buried under the rubble.

With over 73,000 Palestinians killed in the Israeli military campaign, Turk called for international investigators to be granted access to all parts of Gaza to help preserve evidence. The Palestinian Civil Defence has recovered more than 630 bodies and human remains from destroyed buildings across Gaza since November 2025, with the Palestinian authorities estimating that over 8,000 people remain buried in the wreckage.

Human rights expert Francesca Albanese emphasized the importance of gathering evidence and identifying human remains before the clearance of debris begins. Currently, Israel has blocked the entry of heavy machinery necessary for removing rubble, as stated by Turk.