South Africa calls for urgent probe into mass graves discovered in Gaza hospitals

A relative of a dead Palestinian shows a photo of his deceased relative on his mobile phone as other relatives of Palestinians, exhumed and identified from mass grave, mourn next to their dead bodies wrapped in shrouds while Civil Defence teams uncover 51 more bodies from a mass grave at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis city in the southern Gaza Strip on 24 April, 2024 [Hani Alshaer/Anadolu Agency]

South Africa yesterday called on the international community to urgently lead a thorough and impartial investigation into the recent discovery of mass graves in different areas across the Gaza Strip, after the withdrawal of the Israeli occupation army.

In a statement, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) said: “South Africa is appalled by the recent grim discovery of a mass grave containing the remains of 202 Palestinian civilians at Nasser Hospital in Gaza.”

Israel, it added, has ignored the interim decisions of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and is being left unpunished.

It pointed out that the evidence related to the mass killings committed by Israel against civilians indicates war crimes and genocide.

“We call on the international community to take measures to bring the perpetrators of crimes to justice,” it added. “These grim findings call for immediate and comprehensive investigations to ensure justice and accountability.”

It stressed that international humanitarian law prohibits attacks on civilians. “We urge the International Criminal Court to launch a comprehensive and impartial investigation into this case, in accordance with the standards of international law, to uncover the facts and bring those responsible to justice.”

On Monday, the Civil Defence Service in the Gaza Strip announced the discovery of 283 bodies in a mass grave in Nasser Hospital in the city of Khan Yunis, south of the Strip, after the Israeli army withdrew from it.

Israel has so far killed 34,305 Palestinians and wounded 77,293 others in its ruthless war against the Gaza Strip in addition to displacing about 85 per cent of the Strip’s population, according to United Nations data.

READ: UN stresses need for probe into mass graves in Gaza

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