UN rapporteur warns Gaza rubble removal may destroy evidence
Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur on Palestinian territories, says Israel's large-scale removal and relocation of rubble in Gaza could erase traces of alleged atrocity crimes and prevent recovery of human remains. She cites Palestinian estimates that over 10,000 people remain buried under debris, and says the rubble is a material record of the war. Albanese has faced criticism from Israel for her accusations of genocide and war crimes.
Albanese, an Italian-born independent expert appointed by the UN Human Rights Council in 2022, does not speak for the broader UN body. Her warning follows credible reports received last month indicating deliberate and widespread crushing and moving of debris.
The special rapporteur has consistently faced strong pushback from Israeli officials and certain allied nations due to her prior allegations of genocide and war crimes. Her current concern centers on the potential loss of forensic evidence and the inability to recover the remains of thousands of people believed to be trapped under the ruins.
This development could affect international legal proceedings and the families of the missing. If evidence is destroyed, accountability mechanisms may be hindered, potentially impacting future war crimes investigations. The removal of rubble may also complicate humanitarian efforts to identify and repatriate the deceased, prolonging grief for relatives. Furthermore, the dispute over evidence preservation could deepen diplomatic tensions between Israel and UN bodies, influencing global public opinion and the framing of the conflict.