The United Nations (UN) has requested Israel to allow international inspectors access to all areas of Gaza. This request is made as the search for human remains from the rubble of this land continues nearly three years after the war began.
The Necessity of Collecting Evidence
The UN Human Rights Office has emphasized that collecting evidence in destroyed locations is very necessary and has asked Israel to "allow international inspectors to enter all areas of Gaza to assist in collecting evidence." According to reports, the majority of the recovered victims are women and children, a fact that the UN considers a sign of potential war crimes committed during this war.
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Volker Turk, the UN Human Rights Chief, stated in a statement: "Remains of what appear to be complete families have been found in areas severely destroyed by Israeli attacks." He also expressed concern that "the recovered remains may only be the tip of the iceberg," referring to the fact that "vast areas of Gaza have been completely devastated by bombings or destruction and clearing by heavy machinery and explosives."
The Number of Victims and Upcoming Challenges
According to the Palestinian Civil Defense, more than 630 bodies and other remains have been recovered from under the collapsed buildings across Gaza since last November. The UN Human Rights Office has mentioned an estimate that over 8,000 people are still under the rubble, a number indicating that the extent of the devastation in this land has not yet been fully determined.
Turk emphasized that "every possible effort must be made to document and identify these victims, preserve forensic information and biological samples, record their burial sites, and inform their families." He also warned that "the discovery of widespread remains under the rubble in Gaza City revives concerns about war crimes and other horrific crimes."
The war in Gaza began after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, which, according to official Israeli data, resulted in the deaths of at least 1,195 Israelis. The Israeli bombing and ground assault campaign has devastated large parts of Gaza. The Gaza Health Ministry, operating under Hamas, has reported that this attack has killed over 73,000 Palestinians so far, including more than 1,350 since the ceasefire was signed last October.
For European governments managing the diplomatic fallout of this conflict, the UN's request puts additional pressure on Israel to open Gaza for independent inspection, at a time when the extent of civilian casualties is still being uncovered.
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