The extraction of numerous bodies from the debris of structures demolished by Israeli airstrikes in Gaza during the conflict that started almost three years ago has sparked fresh concerns about potential war crimes, as per the United Nations human rights chief’s statement on Tuesday.
Volker Türk expressed sorrow over the recovery of what seemed to be complete families from locations destroyed in Israeli attacks, emphasizing that a significant number of the victims were women and children. He lamented the anguish of families who had been waiting for confirmation of their worst fears for an extended period.
These findings reignited worries highlighted in a 2024 UN report, which suggested that Israeli strikes on residential buildings and other civilian sites at the onset of the conflict might have breached international humanitarian law.
In response, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office and Foreign Ministry did not provide an immediate comment. Israel has consistently refuted accusations of intentionally targeting civilians and maintained that its actions were in compliance with international law while combatting Hamas militants in Gaza.
Following Hamas’s fatal incursion into Israel in October 2023, Israel’s offensive on Gaza has resulted in the creation of approximately 61 million tons of wreckage and rubble, a cleanup process estimated to take up to seven years, according to the United Nations.
A ceasefire brokered by the U.S. ended full-scale hostilities in October 2025; however, both sides have accused each other of violating the truce, with regular Israeli strikes persisting.
Since November 2025, the Palestinian Civil Defence has recovered over 630 bodies and human remains from beneath destroyed buildings across Gaza. Palestinian authorities estimate that more than 8,000 individuals remain buried in the debris.
Türk expressed concerns that the recovered remains thus far might only represent a fraction of the total casualties, citing extensive destruction in Gaza from Israeli bombardments and subsequent clearance operations. He criticized Israel for continuing to level areas where its forces are stationed, accusing them of operating bulldozers without regard for the deceased beneath the rubble.
Israeli-imposed restrictions, such as limitations on DNA kits and excavators, have hindered recovery and identification efforts, as stated by Ajith Sunghay, the head of the UN human rights office for the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Sunghay noted that Palestinian teams at times had to manually sift through rubble due to the constraints.
The 2023 attacks orchestrated by Hamas claimed the lives of 1,200 individuals in Israel, with an additional 251 being taken as hostages, according to Israeli records. Gaza health authorities report that over 73,000 Palestinians have died in Israel’s military operations.
Israel has emphasized efforts to minimize civilian casualties and has accused Hamas of using Gaza’s population as human shields in densely inhabited areas—a claim denied by Hamas. The UN rights chief has urged for international investigators to gain access to all parts of Gaza to aid in preserving evidence related to ongoing legal inquiries into conduct during the conflict.