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392 bodies uncovered in mass graves at Gaza’s Nasser hospital

By Selin Atay
Apr 25, 2024 4:52 PM

Several bodies show signs of torture and execution, with numerous corpses unearthed from plastic bags buried 3 meters deep on hospital grounds

Israeli army’s withdrawal from the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Yunis has led to the discovery of 392 bodies excavated from three mass graves located on the premises of Nasser Medical Complex.

Yamin Abu Suleiman, the director of the Civil Defense Unit in Khan Yunis, revealed in a press conference that 58 more bodies were found during search operations in the mass graves located on the premises of Nasser hospital.

“Three mass graves containing a total of 392 bodies have been identified on the premises of Nasser Hospital. Some of the bodies show signs of torture and execution, while we suspect that some were buried alive,” Abu Suleiman stated. 

Children’s bodies discovered in Gaza mass grave

A few of the bodies uncovered at the hospital, which Palestinian authorities have blamed on Israel
A few of the bodies uncovered at Nasser hospital, Gaza, April 21, 2024 (AFP)

“We have come across bodies of children during the operations. The reason behind the presence of children’s bodies in the hospital’s mass graves is still unknown,” Abu Suleiman stated, providing insights into the search operations.

“Israeli occupying forces buried numerous bodies in plastic bags 3 meters deep on the hospital premises, hastening the decomposition process,” Abu Suleiman stated.

Pointing out that some bodies were beyond identification, Abu Suleiman noted, “Identification of 165 bodies couldn’t be achieved. The Israeli soldiers’ practice of wrapping bodies in plastic bags accelerated decomposition, making identification impossible.”

Abu Suleiman called upon the international community to allow human rights organizations and international media access to the region to expose the crimes committed by Israel against the Palestinian people.

Bodies found indicate torture and execution

Muhammad Mugayir from the Civil Defense team shared a video with journalists depicting bodies bound with plastic handcuffs and bearing signs of torture.

“The bodies found at Nasser Hospital indicate torture and execution,” Mugayir asserted.

Emphasizing that the bodies could not have been buried by the Palestinian people, Mugayir stated, “Burying bodies three meters deep into the ground goes against Gaza’s burial customs.”

A Palestinian man waits for news of his daughter as rescue workers search for survivors after an overnight Israeli bombing in Rafah, the southern Gaza Strip
A Palestinian man waits for news of his daughter as rescue workers search for survivors after an overnight Israeli bombing in Rafah, the southern Gaza Strip

The Israeli army had rendered Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis non-operational after besieging it for a prolonged period and conducting a raid on Feb. 15.

Most recently, on March 24, Israeli soldiers again besieged the hospital, detaining numerous Palestinians and health care staff.

Following a four-month-long ground occupation, the Israeli army withdrew from Khan Yunis on April 7. The withdrawal led to the discovery of mass graves in the city, with bodies being collected from the rubble of homes and roadside.

Source: Newsroom

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Last Updated:  May 31, 2024 8:07 PM