The retrieval of numerous bodies from the debris of buildings obliterated by Israeli airstrikes in Gaza, amidst a conflict that began almost three years ago, has sparked renewed worries regarding potential war crimes, as stated by the United Nations human rights chief on Tuesday.
Volker Türk indicated that the remains of what seemed to be entire families were being uncovered from locations devastated by Israeli attacks, pointing out that a significant number of the deceased were women and children.
“It is devastating that families of those who have been missing for such an extended period are only now having their worst fears validated,” he remarked in a statement.
He noted that these findings rekindled concerns mentioned in a 2024 UN report, which indicated that Israeli strikes on residential buildings and other civilian areas during the initial weeks of the conflict might have breached international humanitarian laws.
Danny Danon, Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations in New York, accused Türk of overlooking violations by Hamas and hastily blaming Israel before ascertaining the facts.
“Hamas has entrenched itself among civilians, operated from residential zones, and constructed its terror infrastructure beneath them. Yet somehow, in Mr. Türk’s narrative, Hamas vanishes while Israel alone is held accountable,” he stated.
The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office and Foreign Ministry did not provide an immediate response to a request for comment. Israel has consistently denied accusations of intentionally targeting civilians, asserting that its operations against Hamas militants in Gaza have complied with international law.
In early August, mourners gathered in a Gaza City neighborhood where it took nearly three years to recover the remains of 112 individuals, who lost their lives due to an Israeli airstrike. Surviving members of the Abu Sharia and Hasayna families reported they have long been searching alongside Gaza’s Civil Defence teams for their relatives, but the lack of heavy machinery in the war-affected region has hindered their efforts.
The Israeli offensive on Gaza — initiated following Hamas’s lethal attack into Israel in October 2023 — has resulted in approximately 61 million tons of debris that may take up to seven years to clear, according to the United Nations.
A ceasefire facilitated by the United States concluded widespread hostilities in October 2025; however, it has not stopped frequent Israeli airstrikes, with both parties accusing one another of breaching the ceasefire.
According to the Palestinian Civil Defence, over 630 bodies and human remains have been retrieved from beneath collapsed structures throughout Gaza since November 2025.
Palestinian officials estimate that more than 8,000 individuals remain entombed in the ruins.
Türk expressed his concern that the remains found thus far might represent “only the tip of the iceberg,” highlighting that vast areas of Gaza have been devastated by Israeli bombardments or subsequent demolition and clearing operations.
He also accused Israel of continuing to demolish certain regions of Gaza where its forces are still active, stating that bulldozers were working “with no regard for the deceased beneath the debris.”
Israeli restrictions hindering recovery efforts
Ajith Sunghay, the head of the UN human rights office for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, mentioned that Israeli limitations on items such as DNA kits and excavators were obstructing recovery and identification processes.
“The cumulative effect of Israel’s actions is rendering any systematic, large-scale search, recovery, and identification work virtually unfeasible,” he stated during a news briefing in Geneva on Tuesday.
At times, Palestinian teams had no choice but to dig through the rubble using only their hands, he added.
The Israeli authorities did not respond immediately to the UN’s claims regarding supply restrictions. Israel’s military agency, COGAT, which regulates access to Gaza, has previously defended the longstanding restrictions on items that could allegedly be utilized for “terrorist buildup.”
According to Israeli reports, the 2023 Hamas-led assaults resulted in the deaths of 1,200 individuals in Israel, while an additional 251 were taken hostage.
In Israel’s military campaign, more than 73,000 Palestinians have reportedly lost their lives, according to health authorities in Gaza.
Israel asserts that it has made significant efforts to prevent civilian casualties and claims that Hamas exploits Gaza’s civilian population as human shields in densely populated areas, a charge that Hamas refutes.
The UN rights chief urged for international investigators to be allowed access to all regions of Gaza to assist in preserving evidence, citing ongoing legal inquiries into conduct during the conflict.
According to Türk’s statement, Israel has obstructed the entry of heavy machinery required for rubble removal.
Francesca Albanese, the UN expert on Palestinian territories, emphasized that evidence should be collected and human remains identified before any comprehensive clearance operations commence.
This month, the Palestinian Civil Defence reported the recovery of 96 bodies and human remains from a single site in the Zeitoun area of Gaza City, which included 58 children and 23 women.