The retrieval of numerous bodies from the wreckage of structures decimated by Israeli airstrikes in Gaza during the conflict that commenced nearly three years ago has sparked fresh apprehensions regarding potential war crimes, stated the United Nations human rights chief on Tuesday.
Volker Türk mentioned that the recovery operations were uncovering the remains of entire families from locations obliterated in Israeli assaults, with a significant number of victims being women and children. Expressing sorrow, he conveyed that the confirmation of the worst fears of those who had been anxiously awaiting news about their missing loved ones was truly heartbreaking.
These findings reignited concerns highlighted in a 2024 UN report, which suggested that Israeli attacks on residential buildings and other civilian sites at the beginning of the conflict might have breached international humanitarian laws. Despite a request for comments, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office and Foreign Ministry did not provide an immediate response. Israel has consistently refuted accusations of intentionally targeting civilians, asserting that its actions were in compliance with international legal standards while combatting Hamas militants in Gaza.
Following Hamas’s fatal incursion into Israel in October 2023, Israel’s offensive in Gaza has resulted in approximately 61 million tons of debris and ruins, a cleanup process estimated to require seven years as per the United Nations.
Even though a U.S.-brokered ceasefire concluded full-scale hostilities in October 2025, sporadic Israeli strikes persist, with both sides accusing each other of violating the truce terms. Since November 2025, the Palestinian Civil Defence has retrieved over 630 bodies and human remains from beneath the ruins of buildings across Gaza, where authorities estimate more than 8,000 individuals remain buried.
Expressing concern, Türk speculated that the recovered remains thus far could merely represent a fraction of the total casualties, given the extensive destruction caused by Israeli bombings and subsequent demolition activities in Gaza. Accusing Israel of continuing to flatten areas where its forces are stationed, Türk criticized the operations as showing disregard for the deceased trapped under the rubble.
Israeli-imposed restrictions, including limitations on items like DNA kits and excavators, are impeding the recovery and identification efforts, as per Ajith Sunghay, head of the UN human rights office for the Occupied Palestinian Territory. He highlighted that the constraints imposed by Israel were hindering systematic and large-scale search, recovery, and identification work, with Palestinian teams sometimes resorting to manual excavation due to the lack of proper equipment.
Israel’s COGAT military agency, responsible for regulating access to Gaza, has previously justified the restrictions on the basis of preventing items that could potentially aid in “terrorist buildup.”
The 2023 attacks led by Hamas resulted in the deaths of 1,200 individuals in Israel, with another 251 being held captive, according to Israeli records. On the other hand, over 73,000 Palestinians have reportedly lost their lives during Israel’s military operations in Gaza, as per Gaza health authorities.
Israel contends that it has taken extensive measures to minimize civilian casualties and asserts that Hamas exploits Gaza’s civilians as shields in densely populated regions, an allegation denied by Hamas. The UN rights chief has called for international investigators to be granted unrestricted access to all parts of Gaza to aid in preserving evidence, particularly in light of the ongoing legal probes examining the conduct during the conflict.
Israel’s refusal to permit the entry of necessary heavy machinery for rubble removal was affirmed in Türk’s statement. Stressing the importance of evidence collection and identification of human remains before full clearance operations commence, Francesca Albanese, the UN expert on the Palestinian territories, emphasized the need for a meticulous approach.
Recently, the Palestinian Civil Defence reported the recovery of 96 bodies and human remains from a single site in the Zeitoun area of Gaza City, including 58 children and 23 women.