A United Nations special rapporteur on Palestinian territories warned Monday that large-scale rubble removal in parts of Gaza under Israeli control could risk erasing evidence relevant to the investigation of alleged international crimes. The expert stated that such clearance could destroy valuable evidence of atrocity crimes and prevent the recovery and identification of human remains.
The expert insisted that in the Palestinian territory, rubble is not just construction waste. These concerns follow Israel's bombardment and ground offensive on Gaza, which has killed more than 73,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's health ministry.
Furthermore, the International Court of Justice ordered Israel in 2024 to prevent the destruction of evidence related to war crimes.