Israeli rubble-clearing in Gaza could erase ‘atrocity crimes’ evidence: UN expert
UN Expert Warns Israeli Rubble Removal in Gaza Risks Erasing Evidence of War Crimes
GENEVA — A United Nations independent rights expert warned Monday that ongoing large-scale operations to crush and relocate debris in Israeli-controlled areas of Gaza risk destroying vital evidence of “atrocity crimes” and hindering efforts to recover thousands of missing human remains.
Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, issued a statement describing Gaza’s post-war landscape not merely as construction waste, but as a critical crime scene and a vast graveyard.
“Gaza’s rubble contains human remains and physical evidence relevant to the investigation of alleged international crimes, including genocide,” Albanese said, referencing estimates by Palestinian authorities that over 10,000 bodies remain trapped under the wreckage.
Key Developments
- Crime Scene Preservation:Albanese reported receiving credible intelligence of “deliberate and widespread removal, crushing, and transport of rubble” using heavy industrial machinery.She stressed that a strict chain of custody and forensic oversight must precede any site clearing.
- Ongoing Recoveries:Pointing to the recent recovery of 112 members of a single extended family from a building destroyed in late 2023, Albanese emphasized that locating missing victims remains an urgent, concrete effort.
- Legal Liability:The special rapporteur cautioned that third-party states and private construction companies assisting in unvetted clearance operations could incur international criminal responsibility for destroying evidence.
- Independent Oversight Demanded:She called for international criminal investigators to supervise all debris management and urged that reconstruction plans be led by Palestinians rather than conditioned on erasing physical records.
Israel did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the statement.Independent experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council operate autonomously and do not officially speak on behalf of the United Nations.
