The UN special envoy on the occupied Palestinian territory, Francesca Albanese, has cautioned that cleaning the wreckage in Gaza could destroy evidence required to prosecute war crimes. “It is simply not acceptable that the rebuilding of Gaza is contingent on the erasure of its past and the evidence required to deliver justice to its victims,” Albanese added. She said states and firms involved in the removal operations might be held criminally responsible internationally for erasing this evidence.
Albanese’s warning comes two years after the International Court of Justice ordered Israel to take appropriate steps to avoid the destruction of evidence relevant to claims under the Genocide Convention.
This is what Israel has done with rubble in Gaza.
The Israeli military launched a massive operation in August to crush, mix and transfer millions of tonnes of rubble from places around Gaza, including cemeteries and other known sites of human remains. The operation is at the center of Albanese’s concerns since it directly impacts areas that potentially store physical proof of alleged crimes.
Is the removal of Gaza’s rubble connected to charges of demographic engineering?
Last month, the Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor produced a study claiming that the removal of debris from Gaza may be an effort in demographic engineering and to erase evidence of the genocide. The research adds a new layer of scrutiny to Israel’s rubble clearance activities, questioning motivation beyond basic restoration.
And how many remain trapped under the debris in Gaza?
Palestinian authorities said at than 8,000 people remain buried under the rubble. Many families in Gaza are still looking for the bodies of loved ones and Israel continues to prevent the heavy gear and forensic supplies needed for recovery.
Palestinians in northern Gaza attended funerals Sunday for nearly 100 individuals, including 60 children, whose bodies were found in the wreckage of demolished buildings in Gaza City.
How long to get all from rubble?
Raed al-Dahshan, chief of Gaza’s civil defence department, told Al Jazeera it may take roughly 90 days to rescue corpses from under the rubble if they had the right equipment. “If we don’t have enough equipment,” he continued, “this can take years.”
Questions & Answers
Q: Who is Francesca Albanese?
A: Francesca Albanese is the United Nations special rapporteur on the human rights situation in the Palestinian areas occupied since 1967 and a noted critic of Israel’s actions in Gaza.
A: The International Court of Justice ordered that no evidence be destroyed in Gaza.
Q: The International Court of Justice, two years ago, ordered Israel to take effective measures to avoid the destruction of evidence regarding charges under the Genocide Convention.
Q: Why is Israel blocking equipment needed to retrieve bodies from the rubble?
A: The report does not say why Israel is doing this, but states that Israel is still blocking the heavy equipment and forensic materials needed for the recovery attempts.
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