The United Nations has called for a thorough investigation into mass graves discovered at two major Gaza hospitals following raids by Israeli forces, Associated Press reports.
The Palestinian civil defense in Gaza reported uncovering 283 bodies from a temporary burial ground inside the main hospital in Khan Younis, which was built during the Israeli siege last month. Some of the bodies were of people killed during the hospital siege, while others were killed when Israeli forces raided the hospital.
UN human rights chief Volker Türk expressed shock at the destruction of the Shifa medical center in Gaza City and Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, as well as the reported discovery of mass graves in and around the facilities after the Israeli operations. He urged for independent and transparent investigations into the deaths, emphasizing that hospitals are entitled to special protection under international humanitarian law.
The Israeli military stated that they exhumed bodies that Palestinians had buried earlier during their search for hostages captured by Hamas during the Oct. 7 attack. The bodies were examined respectfully, and those not belonging to Israeli hostages were returned to their original burial sites, according to the Israeli military.
