392 bodies found at hospital in southern Gaza, including children and victims buried in surgical gowns – CNN.co.jp

(CNN) On the 25th, authorities in Gaza, a Palestinian autonomous region, announced that they had completed the search for bodies buried in groups at Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis, and had exhumed a total of 392 bodies. Some of the bodies were still wearing surgical gowns.

At a press conference in the southern city of Rafah, the Gaza Civil Defense Force said that of the bodies found at the hospital after Israeli forces withdrew, 165 had been identified, while 227 had not yet been identified.

The bodies were reportedly buried in groups in three locations within the hospital: in front of the morgue, behind the morgue, and on the north side of the dialysis ward.

The Israeli Defense Forces say that information that they mass-buried Palestinian bodies is false, saying that the burial site at Nasser Hospital was dug up by Palestinians several months ago.

The Civil Defense confirmed that approximately 100 of the bodies were buried in the Nasser hospital cemetery before the IDF operation began.

CNN correspondents who visited the scene on the 21st spoke to people who said they had temporarily buried the bodies of murdered family members on the hospital grounds in January. When Israeli troops returned after withdrawing on April 7, they found the bodies exhumed and buried in groups in a different location from where they had originally been buried.

The Gaza Civil Defense Force also displayed the images on television screens during a press conference. Photos seen by CNN showed bodies at the hospital, nearly indistinguishable. There were also decomposed bodies of children inside.

CNN correspondents who visited the scene on the 21st and 22nd saw several decomposing bodies in surgical gowns. Photos seen by CNN showed several bodies still wearing hospital wristbands.

CNN footage taken inside the hospital also shows the decomposing bodies of children.

The Gaza Civil Defense Force said, “The presence of the bodies of children in the mass grave at Nasser Hospital proves the crime of genocide,” adding that at least 20 civilians were left alive. It is suspected that the body was buried. However, the basis for this was not disclosed as the investigation is still ongoing.

A man came face-to-face with the decomposing body of his 15-year-old son, pointing to it and saying, “He’s my son. You can tell by his blouse.”

The man knelt down and cradled his son’s head, muttering, “God, he’s dead. He’s dead,” and wiped away his tears.

The Gaza Civil Defense Force said some of the bodies showed signs of torture, while others were decomposed because the Israeli army buried them three meters deep in plastic bags. “The occupation forces intentionally destroyed the evidence of the crimes at Nasser Hospital by changing the plastic covering over and over again,” it said.

The Israel Defense Forces did not respond to specific questions about the mass graves.

However, it said that dozens of bodies were transported from Gaza and DNA tests were carried out in Israel before they were returned in containers.

The Palestinian Civil Defense Forces are calling on the United Nations to form an international commission to investigate the mass graves at Nasser Hospital.

At a press conference on the 25th at United Nations Headquarters in New York, a spokesperson for the Secretary-General said he was calling for an international investigation into the mass graves at Nasser Hospital, but said it was unclear at this point what approach would be taken. .