Gaza Rubble Removal: Warnings of Erasing Genocide Evidence
The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor warned of extensive Israeli operations to crush and move Gaza's rubble to undisclosed locations, saying they threaten to erase evidence of genocide and destroy the remains of thousands of missing people. It noted the removal of at least 10 million tons out of 68 million tons, amid a lack of international oversight.
The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor warned of extensive operations carried out by the Israeli occupation army in cooperation with Israeli companies to crush the rubble of destroyed residential neighborhoods in the Gaza Strip and move it to undisclosed locations outside the Strip, considering that these steps threaten to erase physical evidence of genocide crimes and destroy the remains of thousands of missing people. In a statement, the Monitor said the operations are carried out in closed areas under Israeli military control, and include demolishing what remains of buildings, crushing and mixing debris, and transporting it before allowing forensic teams to inspect the sites. It stressed that these actions are not part of humanitarian efforts to rescue the missing or rebuild, but are carried out unilaterally without independent international oversight. It noted that a joint assessment by the World Bank, the United Nations, and the European Union estimated the amount of rubble at about 68 million tons last April, while its field data indicate the removal of at least 10 million tons. It added that about 400 machines operated by Israeli companies under army protection work in the east and south of the Strip, with about 100 trucks moving daily to undisclosed locations. It warned that rubble removal could erase the features of potential crime sites, including places of field executions and mass graves, and threatens to crush the remains of about 8,500 missing people. It considered that moving rubble without the owners' consent constitutes unlawful confiscation of property and a violation of international humanitarian law.