The United Nations wants a thorough investigation of mass graves found at hospitals in Gaza. Israeli troops went into the hospitals.
Reliable detectives need to be able to go to the places, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters. He also said that more reporters should be able to work safely in Gaza to tell the truth.
Earlier today, the head of UN human rights, Volker Türk, said he was very upset by the destruction of the Shifa medical center in Gaza City and Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis. He also heard about mass graves being found near these places after the Israelis left.
He asked for fair and clear investigations into the deaths. He said that because of the current culture of getting away with bad things, the investigations should involve people from other countries.
“Hospitals are given extra special protection under the law of war,” Türk said. “Killing innocent people, prisoners, and those who can’t fight back is a serious crime in war. ”
The US State Department spokesman, Vedant Patel, said that the reports of mass graves at the hospitals are really worrying. US officials have asked the Israeli government for more information.
The Israeli army dug up bodies that Palestinians had buried to find the remains of the hostages taken by Hamas during the attack that started the war. The military checked the bodies with respect and gave back the ones that were not from Israeli hostages.
The Israeli military says it attacked and caught many militants who were hiding in two hospital buildings, but this has not been confirmed by others.
The Palestinian civil defense in Gaza found 283 bodies buried in a temporary graveyard at the main hospital in Khan Younis. It was built when Israeli forces surrounded the hospital last month. At that time, people couldn’t bury their dead in a cemetery so they dug graves in the hospital yard instead, according to the group.
The civil defense said that some of the bodies were of people who were killed during the attack on the hospital. Israeli forces went into the hospital and some people were killed.
Palestinian health officials say that the attacks on hospitals have greatly damaged Gaza’s healthcare system, which is already struggling to handle the increasing number of casualties from the six-month long war.
The question of who should do an investigation is still not clear.
Dujarric said that in order for the United Nations to do an investigation, one of its big groups would have to give permission for it.
“I don’t think anyone should judge the results or who did it,” he said. “I believe there should be a thorough investigation with access and credibility. ”
The leader of the International Criminal Court, Karim Khan, stated that it is very important to investigate possible crimes committed by Hamas and Israeli forces. He visited Israel and the West Bank in December.
“We found the graves, so we really need to stop fighting and find a way to end this conflict. We also need more help for people who need it, like medicine and food, and we need to make sure hospitals are safe. And we need to free the Israeli hostages,” Dujarric said on Monday.
During the war started by the Hamas attack, about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed and around 250 hostages were taken. Israel says that the militants are still keeping about 100 people as hostages and the bodies of over 30 others.
In reply, Israel attacked Gaza to stop Hamas and has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians, most of them being children and women, as reported by local health officials. It has destroyed two big cities in Gaza, causing a crisis for people. About 80% of the population have left to go to other places in the enclave.