A UN special rapporteur warns that large-scale rubble clearing in parts of Gaza under Israeli control could erase traces of alleged “atrocity crimes” and hinder the recovery and identification of human remains. Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur on the Palestinian territories, says ongoing removal, crushing, and relocation of rubble has “profound” implications for preserving evidence relevant to investigations.
The warning comes amid continued destruction following Israel’s bombardment and ground offensive in Gaza. France 24 notes that, according to Gaza’s health ministry, more than 73,000 Palestinians have been killed. Both outlets report the same concern: the process of clearing rubble may affect forensic and investigative possibilities unless evidence-preservation measures are in place. Neither outlet reports new findings from investigations, but both present Albanese’s warning as a caution about the risks to documentation and identification efforts.
Albanese’s statement frames rubble removal as a potential obstacle to later scrutiny of alleged international crimes, including how remains and site evidence are handled during or after clearance operations.
