Gaza’s Rubble Holds Dead-and Evidence the World Must Protect

Albanese said every site should be documented before rubble is moved, while recovered remains must be identified and handled with dignity under independent supervision.

A United Nations expert has warned that the large-scale clearing of rubble in Gaza must not destroy human remains, erase possible evidence of atrocity crimes or help deepen Israel's occupation of Palestinian territory. Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, said the ruins should be treated as burial places and potential crime scenes, not simply as construction waste waiting to be crushed or removed.

Thousands of people may still lie beneath the ruins

Palestinian authorities estimate that more than 10,000 people remain buried beneath destroyed buildings, making careful recovery work essential for families seeking answers and investigators examining alleged international crimes, including genocide. Albanese said every site should be documented before rubble is moved, while recovered remains must be identified and handled with dignity under independent supervision.

The scale of this human loss became painfully clear on 4 August 2026, when Palestinians buried 112 members of one extended family after a 17-day recovery operation beneath buildings destroyed in Gaza City in November 2023. The remains of another 41 relatives believed to have been killed in the same strike were never found, showing how quickly evidence and opportunities for identification can disappear when ruins are disturbed without proper safeguards.

Rubble removal could destroy evidence needed for justice

Nearly 70 percent of Gaza is reportedly affected by access restrictions and varying levels of Israeli military control, raising concerns about who makes decisions over demolition, excavation and debris removal. Albanese stressed that international criminal investigators should oversee evidence collection, ensure an unbroken chain of custody and protect materials that may help establish what happened at individual sites.

The International Court of Justice ordered Israel in January 2024 to take effective steps to prevent the destruction of evidence connected to alleged breaches of the Genocide Convention. Its July 2024 advisory opinion also addressed the illegality of Israel's continued presence in the occupied Palestinian territory, a legal context that Albanese said cannot be separated from the clearing of land and rubble inside Gaza.

Companies and state bodies participating in demolition or debris processing may face serious legal consequences if their actions knowingly destroy evidence of international crimes, the expert warned. Heavy machinery made by Caterpillar, HD Hyundai, Doosan and Volvo has reportedly been used in demolition and land-levelling operations within Israeli-controlled areas, including after the October 2025 ceasefire.

Palestinians must lead Gaza's recovery and reconstruction

The destruction across Gaza is enormous. According to the UN Special Rapporteur on adequate housing, at least 92 percent of the territory's housing units had been damaged or destroyed between October 2023 and October 2025, along with extensive civilian infrastructure. The report described the resulting destruction and displacement as unprecedented in modern warfare.

Albanese said she received credible information in August 2026 about widespread rubble removal, crushing, transportation and recycling, including reported discussions involving Israeli companies. She warned that clearing operations must not become a tool for removing physical traces of alleged crimes, changing the character of Palestinian land or making occupation more permanent.

Any recovery plan should be created by Palestinians and supported by organizations they trust, she said. Clearing roads, rebuilding homes and restoring essential services remain urgent needs, yet that work must respect the dead, protect families' right to know what happened and preserve the evidence required to pursue justice. Gaza cannot be rebuilt by treating its history, its victims and the remains beneath its ruins as disposable material.