A United Nations (UN) official raised concerns on Monday that the clearing of rubble by Israel in Gaza could potentially erase crucial evidence of “atrocity crimes” and hinder efforts to recover human remains.
Following a Hamas incursion into Israel in October 2023, Israel launched an offensive on Gaza, resulting in approximately 61 million tons of debris that may require up to seven years to remove, as reported by the UN.
The UN expert for the Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese, emphasized the importance of involving Palestinians in any debris removal plans to ensure proper handling. She highlighted reports of deliberate destruction and removal of rubble by Israel in August, stressing the need to preserve evidence and identify human remains before complete clearance operations.
Albanese described the rubble in Gaza as more than just construction waste, emphasizing its significance as part of a crime scene, a memorial site, and a historical record of the destructive bombing campaigns over two years.
While confirming the involvement of Israeli companies in the clearance activities, Albanese refrained from disclosing her sources. Requests for comments from Israel’s Foreign Ministry, prime minister’s office, and military went unanswered. Notably, these entities have previously contested Albanese’s criticisms of Israel’s military actions in Gaza.
Albanese has faced backlash from some countries, including Germany, France, and Italy, for her alleged negative remarks about Israel. She denied making the statements attributed to her by these nations.
In a separate development, the United States imposed sanctions on Albanese last year, accusing her of pushing for legal action against American and Israeli officials, companies, and executives through the International Criminal Court.
The 2023 hostilities instigated by Hamas led to 1,200 casualties in Israel, with an additional 251 individuals held captive. In contrast, Gaza health authorities reported over 73,000 Palestinian fatalities during Israel’s military operations.
Israel has maintained that it made substantial efforts to minimize civilian casualties and accused Hamas of utilizing civilians as shields in densely populated areas, a claim Hamas has refuted.
Hamas expressed gratitude for Albanese’s cautionary message and urged the proper handling of rubble to ensure the recovery of missing individuals’ remains and the preservation of evidence. Palestinian authorities estimated that more than 8,000 people are still buried in the wreckage, with a recent recovery effort in Gaza City uncovering the remains of 112 individuals from a single family.
