April 24, 2024 UN demands investigation after mass graves found at Gaza hospitals raided by Israel
Irene Nasser and Duarte Mendonca |
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'This is a crime against humanity': Gaza doctor on mass grave uncovered at hospital |
The United Nations has called for an "independent, effective and transparent investigation" into the discovery of mass graves at two Gaza hospitals that were besieged and raided by Israeli troops this year. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said in a statement he was "horrified" by the scenes reported from both the Nasser and Al Shifa medical complexes in the besieged enclave. "Given the prevailing climate of impunity, this should include international investigators," Türk said. "Hospitals are entitled to very special protection under international humanitarian law. And the intentional killing of civilians, detainees, and others who are hors de combat is a war crime," he added, referring to non-combatants. A mass grave with 324 bodies was uncovered this week at the Nasser Medical Complex in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis by Gaza Civil Defense workers following the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the area. Col. Yamen Abu Suleiman, Director of Civil Defense in Khan Younis alleged that some of the bodies had been found with hands and feet tied, "and there were signs of field executions. We do not know if they were buried alive or executed. Most of the bodies are decomposed." CNN is unable to verify Suleiman's claims and cannot confirm the causes of death of those whose bodies are being unearthed. Previously, a Khan Younis Civil Defense spokesman and head of the search mission, Raed Saqr, told CNN that they are searching for the bodies of another 400 missing people after the Israeli military left on April 7. A CNN stringer who visited the scene Sunday said that people had buried the bodies of family members who had been killed on the grounds of the hospital as a temporary measure in January. When they returned this month after the Israeli military withdrew, they discovered the bodies had been dug up and placed in at least one collective grave, the stringer said. It's not currently known how many bodies were initially buried there. In response to a CNN inquiry about the mass graves at Nasser Medical Complex, the Israeli military said on Tuesday that the "claim that the IDF buried Palestinian bodies is baseless and unfounded." |
People and health workers unearth bodies found at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip on Tuesday. (AFP/Getty Images) |
"During the IDF's operation in the area of Nasser Hospital, in accordance to the effort to locate hostages and missing persons, corpses buried by Palestinians in the area of Nasser Hospital were examined," the Israeli military said, adding that the examination was done "exclusively in places where intelligence indicated the possible presence of hostages." Once it was determined that the bodies didn't belong to the Israeli hostages, they "were returned to their place," it said. Hamas-led militants kidnapped more than 250 people from Israel during their attack on the country on October 7. There are 133 hostages from Israel in captivity there now, 35 of whom are believed to be dead. CNN reached out to the military on Wednesday for comment regarding Türk's remarks, to which it said it had nothing more to add beyond previous comments. US says reports are 'incredibly troubling' This month, health workers in Gaza exhumed corpses from mass graves in and around another hospital, Al Shifa, after they said Israeli forces killed hundreds of Palestinians and left their bodies to decompose during their two-week siege of the medical complex. At least 381 bodies were recovered from the vicinity of the complex since Israeli forces withdrew on April 1, Gaza Civil Defense spokesperson Mahmoud Basal said, adding that the total figure did not include people buried within the grounds of the hospital. The US State Department on Tuesday expressed concern over the discovery of mass graves. The reports are "incredibly troubling," State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel said. "And we're inquiring on this with the Government of Israel." "I'm not going to speak to the specifics, but it should be no surprise to you that we engage with the government of Israel at all levels often many times, multiple times a day, at all hours," he added. CNN's Abeer Salman, Ibrahim Dahman, Kareem Khadder and Tim Lister contributed to this report. | |
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More on the Israel-Hamas war |
- US rights report: The US State Department's annual report on human rights cites allegations of war crimes by both Palestinian militants and Israel in 2023. The abuses include "reports of systemic torture and cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment or punishment of Palestinian detainees in prison facilities after October 7" and the forced disappearance of thousands of Palestinians from Gaza.
- Allegations against UNRWA: An independent review of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has noted that "Israel has yet to provide supporting evidence" for their allegations that "a significant number of UNRWA employees are members of terrorist organizations."
- Iranian threat: An Israeli attack on Iranian territory would have serious consequences and result in there being "nothing left" of Israel, Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi said Tuesday, Iranian state news agency IRNA reported.
- Hamas' Qatar office: Qatar has ruled out shutting Hamas' office in its capital "as long as mediation channels continue." Qatar, which is leading negotiations on the deal, is under pressure from Israeli and US politicians over its links with Hamas and has been weighing whether to close the Palestinian militants' group's political headquarters.
- US aid for Israel: The US Senate passed a long-delayed foreign aid package that will provide $26.4 billion to Israel, including $4 billion for the Iron Dome and David's Sling missile defense systems and $1.2 billion for the Iron Beam defense system. More than $4 billion will be used to replenish defense items and services provided to Israel, and $9.2 billion will be used for humanitarian assistance including emergency food, shelter, and basic services supplies.
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UAE and Omani companies signed deals worth 129 billion dirhams ($35.1 billion) in sectors including energy and transport during the Omani ruler's visit to the United Arab Emirates this week. |
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Saudi King enters hospital for routine tests Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, 88, was admitted to a hospital in Jeddah for routine tests, state-run Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said on Wednesday. The tests will take a few hours, SPA added. - Background: King Salman is the oldest Gulf ruler by age, and has been hospitalized on several occasions fordifferent reasons, including a colonoscopy in 2022 and surgery to remove his gallbladder in 2020.
- Why it matters: As the world's biggest oil exporter and the home of Islam's holiest sites, Saudi Arabia is crucial to the global economy and Middle East stability. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has had a rocky relationship with the Biden administration, is next in line for the throne.
Human Rights Watch accuses Iranian security forces of torture and sexual violence
An investigation published by Human Rights Watch on Monday accuses Iran's security forces of committing rape, torture, and sexual assault against detainees amid widespread protests in 2022 and 2023. It details testimonies from 10 detainees who reported severe abuses. Among the cases, detainees described "being raped by security forces" and seeing other detainees being raped. In seven cases, detainees alleged that security forces tortured them to extract false confessions. - Background: Protests over the death of a young woman in the custody of the country's morality police in 2022 spiraled into the worst political turmoil since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, leading to a repressive clampdown by authorities.
- Why it matters: The report aligns with findings from Amnesty International in December 2023, which documented sexual violence was used by Iranian authorities as a method to "intimidate and punish peaceful protesters." CNN has also previously reported on testimonies from male and female activists who revealed sexual assaults were committed by Iranian security forces to quell spreading demonstrations in the country.
North Korea officials visit Iran in a rare public trip
A North Korean delegation led by the cabinet minister for international trade is visiting Iran, Reuters cited the country's official media as saying on Wednesday. The minister for external economic relations, Yun Jong Ho, left Pyongyang on Tuesday on a flight along with a ministry delegation, the North's KCNA news agency said. It gave no other details. - Background: North Korea and Iran have long been suspected of cooperating on ballistic missile programs, possibly exchanging technical expertise and components that went into their manufacture.
- Why it matters: It is a rare public report of an exchange between the two countries believed to have secret military ties. Iran is also selling ballistic missiles to Russia for use in its war with Ukraine.
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Less than two days after the heaviest rainfall in 75 years hit the United Arab Emirates, NASA's Landsat 9 satellite passed over the country on Friday, April 19, and captured images of large, lingering pools of floodwater. The satellite collects detailed imagery of the Earth's surface and is operated by NASA and the United States Geological Survey. Pools of deep blue in the images above highlight floodwaters that stand in stark contrast to the region's typically dry ground, which appears tan or light brown. The flooding shown is in the southernmost portion of Dubai, but the city's highly urbanized central hub isn't captured. The images were taken with Landsat 9's false color products to make the presence of water stand out against the dry ground. The colors shown are not exactly how they would appear to a person peering down from space but make differences in the land easier to spot. See the images here. |
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