DUBAI: A Palestinian civil defence team has urged the United Nations (UN) to probe what they claim are war crimes at a Gaza hospital, alleging the discovery of nearly 400 bodies in mass graves following the departure of Israeli soldiers.
Speaking at a press conference, the civil defence forces alleged instances of patients being executed while undergoing surgeries at the Nasser Medical Complex, without providing evidence.
Palestinian authorities have reported finding hundreds of bodies in mass graves at Nasser hospital, the primary medical facility in central Gaza, after Israeli troops withdrew from Khan Younis.
Similar discoveries were reported at Al Shifa hospital in northern Gaza, targeted during an Israeli special forces operation.
UN rights chief Volker Turk expressed dismay at the destruction of Nasser and Al Shifa medical facilities and the reports of mass graves, according to a spokesperson.
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The Israeli military dismissed claims by Palestinian authorities that IDF buried the bodies as “baseless and unfounded.” They stated that forces, searching for Israeli hostages, examined bodies previously buried by Palestinians near Nasser hospital and returned them after examination, conducted with dignity and care.
Israel denied responsibility for the deaths found in the graves, releasing footage alleging Palestinians dug these graves before the IDF operation.
The Palestinian Civil Defence Team accused Israel of burying bodies in plastic bags at a depth of 3 metres (10 ft) in the Nasser complex, where they rapidly decomposed, supposedly concealing evidence of “crimes,” including torture.
The International Criminal Court in The Hague is investigating both Israeli and Palestinian actions in the Israeli-Gaza conflict, including events from October 7 and their aftermath. Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan has pledged to hold accountable those who breach the law.
