UN Chief demands impartial investigation into mass graves in Gaza

Antonio Guterres, the head of the UN, has called for an impartial inquiry into claims made by Palestinian authorities regarding mass graves unearthed in Gaza following the discovery of bodies in several locations, including two hospitals, with medical tubes or hands tied to them.

“To determine the precise circumstances under which the Palestinians lost their lives and were buried or reburied, it is imperative that independent international investigators with forensic expertise be granted immediate access to the sites of these mass graves,” UN Special Envoy Antonio Guterres declared on Tuesday.

In addition, the UN secretary-general urged Israel not to invade Rafah, the final haven for over 1.4 million Palestinians in southern Gaza, following the Israeli prime minister’s declaration that an offensive would proceed regardless of the conclusion of cease-fire negotiations with Hamas.

According to him, a military attack on Rafah would “be an unbearable escalation, forcing hundreds of thousands to flee and killing thousands more civilians.”

Although there has been “incremental progress,” he continued, much more is urgently needed to prevent “an entirely preventable, human-made famine” in northern Gaza. This includes Israel fulfilling its commitment to open “two crossing points between Israel and northern Gaza, so that aid can be brought into Gaza from Ashdod port and Jordan.”

The main challenge to providing help in Gaza, according to him, is the absence of security for both people and humanitarian personnel. He declared, “I once more call on the Israeli authorities to permit and facilitate safe, quick, and unhindered access for humanitarian workers and aid, including UNRWA, throughout Gaza.”

While acknowledging that humanitarian supplies into Gaza had improved in April, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini on Tuesday listed a number of ongoing challenges, such as frequent crossing closures “because they [Israel] are dumping released detainees or dumping sometimes bodies taken to Israel and back to the Gaza Strip.”

According to Juliette Touma, a spokesman for the UN agency that handles Palestinian refugees, Israel has brought 225 bodies to Gaza in three containers since December. The UN agency then transports the remains to the local health authority in Gaza for burial, temporarily closing the crossing.

She claimed UNRWA was not mandated to conduct an investigation and that she lacked information about the specifics of their demise.

In the past, Palestinian officials have claimed that Israel has returned bodies after establishing they were not held as captives. They claimed to be attempting to identify them and locate the scene of their deaths.

Israel and UNRWA are at odds over a number of issues. According to an Al Jazeera count based on Israeli figures, the former has accused 19 UNRWA employees of taking part in the October 7 Hamas-led attack against Israel that resulted in the deaths of at least 1,139 people.

UN investigators are looking into Israel’s claims, but according to a different assessment, Israel has not yet shown any proof to support claims that hundreds of UNRWA employees are affiliated with armed organizations.

According to Palestinian authorities, Israel’s war on Gaza has claimed the lives of over 34,000 people since October 7.