Geneva – A United Nations expert on the Palestinian territories warned on Monday that Israel’s large‑scale removal of rubble in Gaza could eliminate crucial evidence of alleged atrocity crimes and impede the recovery of human remains. Francesca Albanese, the U.N. specialist, said that before any full‑scale clearance begins, investigators must gather forensic material and identify the dead.
Scope of the debris
Since the conflict erupted following the October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel, the United Nations estimates that roughly 61 million tons of wreckage have piled up across Gaza. Officials project that clearing this debris could take up to seven years.
Why the warning matters
Albanese described the rubble as more than just construction waste. “In devastated Gaza, the debris is part of a crime scene, a graveyard, and the material record of what happened during a brutal and senseless bombing campaign that lasted two years,” she said. She urged that Palestinians be involved in any plans to remove the waste, emphasizing the need for transparency and accountability.
Israeli response
Israel’s Foreign Ministry, the Prime Minister’s Office, and the military have not yet commented on Albanese’s statements. Historically, Israeli officials have asserted that they take extensive measures to avoid civilian casualties, arguing that Hamas deliberately uses civilians as human shields in densely populated areas—a claim Hamas denies.
International reactions
Earlier this year, Germany, France, and Italy criticized Albanese for what they called overly negative remarks about Israel, though she denied making the cited statements. In July 2025, the United States imposed sanctions on Albanese, alleging that she sought to push the International Criminal Court to pursue action against U.S. and Israeli officials, companies, and executives.
Human toll
According to Gaza health authorities, more than 73,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli military campaign. Palestinian officials estimate that over 8,000 people remain buried in the rubble. A local recovery team that combed through the debris in Gaza City last month reported finding the remains of 112 individuals from a single extended family.
Context of the conflict
The 2023 Hamas‑led attacks resulted in 1,200 Israeli deaths and 251 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. The ongoing conflict has drawn worldwide attention, with the United Nations Human Rights Council commissioning experts like Albanese to monitor and document human‑rights violations, though these experts operate independently of the Council itself.
As the international community watches the situation unfold, the debate over how to balance the urgent need to clear dangerous debris with the imperative to preserve evidence of possible war crimes remains a contentious issue.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
