Mass Graves Discovered at Former Israeli Hospital in Gaza, UN Calls for Investigation

Authorities in Gaza have concluded their search at a former Israeli military base turned hospital in Khan Younis and said they found 392 bodies, including some still wearing surgical gowns. Workers identified 165 of the remains during the investigation, which followed Israel’s withdrawal from the area earlier this month. The remaining bodies are being examined to determine their identities, Mohammed Al Mighayyer of the Palestinian Civil Defense in Gaza said at a news conference on Thursday. Three mass graves were found — one located outside the hospital morgue and another behind it. One grave was dug by Palestinians several months ago, according to Israel’s military spokesperson Nadav Shoshani. The IDF referred CNN to this statement when asked for comment regarding claims that Israeli troops buried scores of Palestinian bodies in a mass grave at the Nasser hospital during its operation there last month. Amnesty International has called on an international investigation into the graves, saying they could contain vital forensic evidence and should be protected until professional investigators can safely carry out accurate identifications of remains. CNN interviewed a father who identified his 15-year-old son’s decomposed body by looking at his hospital gown, after finding numerous children’s bodies that appeared to have been buried alive or with gunshot wounds in the complex during Israel’s military campaign in Gaza earlier this year. Israeli authorities did not respond specifically when asked about allegations of torture marks on some bodies and changing plastic shrouds more than once at a depth of three meters, which Al Mighayyer claimed was done to conceal evidence. Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said the organization has called for an international investigation but added that it’s unclear how this will take place as investigators would need permission from several countries including Israel to access Gaza. This story is developing and may be updated further in future reports by CNN.