UN Human Rights Chief "Ngeri" With Reports Of Mass Grave Discovery At Gaza Hospital

JAKARTA - Volker Turk's United Nations Human Rights Chief said on Tuesday he was "horrified" by the destruction of the medical facilities of Nasser Hospital and Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza, as well as reports of mass graves containing hundreds of bodies there, according to a spokesman.

Palestinian authorities reported finding a number of bodies in mass graves at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, South Gaza this week, after being abandoned by Israeli forces. The discovery of bodies was also reported at Al Shifa Hospital after an Israeli special forces operation.

"We feel the need to increase vigilance as it is clear there are many bodies found," Ravina Shamdasani, spokesman for the UN Human Rights Chief, said, adding Turk was horrified by reports of the discovery of mass graves and hospital destruction.

"Some of them are tied up, which of course indicate serious violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law, and this needs to be investigated further," he continued.

He added that the United Nations human rights office is working to investigate Palestinian officials' reports regarding the discovery of 283 bodies at Nasser Hospital and 30 at Al Shifa Hospital.

According to the report, several bodies were buried under piles of garbage, including women and the elderly.

Separately, Hamas-run Civil Emergency Service in Gaza said on Tuesday a total of 310 bodies had been found in one mass grave at Nasser Hospital so far and two other graves have been identified, but have yet to be excavated.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military and its diplomatic mission in Geneva, Switzerland could not be reached for comment. Israel previously accused Hamas militants of using hospitals as headquarters and its troops of killing about 200 militants in Al Shifa and of not injuring civilians.