New Delhi [India], April 24 : The Israel Embassy in India has rejected reports that a mass grave was discovered at Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis. It further said that the grave was dug by the people of Gaza a few months ago.
The Israel Embassy in India has called any attempt to blame Israel for burying civilians in mass graves "false."
In a post on X, the Israel Embassy in India stated, "Misinformation is circulating regarding a mass grave that was discovered at Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis. The grave in question was dug by Gazans a few months ago. This fact is corroborated by social media videos posted by Gazans at the time of the burial, as seen in the video below. Any attempt to blame Israel for burying civilians in mass graves is categorically false and merely an example of a disinformation campaign aimed at delegitimizing Israel."
Israel Embassy in India's statement comes after Gaza Civil Defense workers said that a mass grave with more than 300 bodies was discovered at a hospital in Khan Yunis following the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the area earlier this month, CNN reported.
Speaking to CNN, Colonel Yamen Abu Suleiman, Director of Civil Defence in Khan Yunis said 35 bodies were discovered at the Nasser Medical Complex on Tuesday, taking the tally to 310. Suleiman said that some 73 bodies had been discovered on Monday.
Suleiman claimed that some of the bodies were discovered with hands and feet tied, "and there were signs of field executions. We do not know if they were buried alive or executed. Most of the bodies are decomposed."
On Tuesday, The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) called any "claim that the IDF buried Palestinian bodies baseless and unfounded," CNN reported.
The IDF said, "During the IDF's operation in the area of Nasser Hospital, in accordance to the effort to locate hostages and missing persons, corpses buried by Palestinians in the area of Nasser Hospital were examined. The examination was conducted in a careful manner and exclusively in places where intelligence indicated the possible presence of hostages."
The IDF stated, "The examination was carried out respectfully while maintaining the dignity of the deceased. Bodies examined, which did not belong to Israeli hostages, were returned to their place."
Meanwhile, the United Nations has called for an "independent, effective and transparent investigation" into the discovery of mass graves at two hospital complexes in Gaza after Israeli troops besieged and raided them earlier this year, according to CNN report.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk stated he was "horrified" to see the scenes reported at the Nasser and Al-Shifa complexes. On Tuesday, Turk said, "Given the prevailing climate of impunity, this should include international investigators."
He said, "Hospitals are entitled to very special protection under international humanitarian law. And the intentional killing of civilians, detainees, and others who are hors de combat is a war crime."
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