Gaza ‘Crime Scene’ at Risk as Israel Clears Rubble – UN Expert
Wednesday, September 9, 2026 at 06:40PM https://www.palestinechronicle.com/gaza-crime-scene-at-risk-as-israel-clears-rubble-un-expert/
Palestine Chronicle Staff 8 September 2026 Palestine Chronicle
UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese has warned that Israeli rubble-clearing in Gaza could erase evidence of atrocity crimes and prevent the recovery of human remains. (Design: PC)
Key Developments
- Albanese warned that Israeli rubble-clearing in Gaza could destroy evidence of international crimes and prevent the recovery and identification of Palestinian remains.
- The UN estimates Gaza contains around 61 million tons of rubble, while Palestinian authorities say thousands of people remain buried beneath it.
- Albanese said rubble removal must follow a Palestinian-designed plan and warned states and companies that destroying evidence could carry criminal responsibility.
The vast quantities of rubble left by Israel’s destruction of Gaza constitute not merely construction waste, but a potential crime scene containing human remains and evidence necessary for future investigations, UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese warned on Monday.
Albanese said large-scale removal, crushing and relocation of debris in areas under Israeli military control risk destroying evidence of international crimes, including genocide, while making it more difficult to locate and identify Palestinians still buried beneath destroyed buildings.
“In devastated Gaza, rubble is not just construction waste. It is part of a crime scene, a graveyard, and the material record of what happened during a brutal and senseless bombing campaign that lasted two years,” Albanese said.
“The ongoing removal, crushing and relocation of rubble in Gaza must not destroy evidence of international crimes or prevent the recovery and identification of human remains in the besieged enclave,” she added.
The UN estimates that Israel’s war has generated approximately 61 million tons of wreckage and debris across Gaza, which could take years to clear.
Palestinian estimates cited Monday put the number of people still buried beneath the rubble at more than 8,000, while other Palestinian estimates have placed the figure above 10,000.
‘Destroying Evidence Is Illegal’
Albanese said the recovery and identification of human remains must precede large-scale rubble clearance.
She also called for systematic documentation and preservation of physical evidence before debris is moved, crushed or disposed of, saying international criminal investigators should oversee evidence-gathering operations.
“Destroying evidence of atrocity crimes is illegal,” Albanese said.
Her warning extends beyond the Israeli authorities carrying out or overseeing clearance operations.
Albanese said states and private companies participating in rubble removal could potentially face international criminal responsibility if their actions resulted in the destruction of evidence of international crimes.
She said multiple sources had indicated that Israeli companies were involved in clearance operations, although she did not publicly identify the companies.
‘Designed by Palestinians’
Albanese also insisted that Palestinians themselves must determine how Gaza’s rubble is handled as part of any reconstruction process.
“Any removal must happen in the context of a plan designed by Palestinians and supported by actors who have the trust of Palestinians,” she said.
The UN expert argued that reconstruction cannot be separated from the need to preserve the physical record of what happened during Israel’s assault.
Gaza’s reconstruction, she said, must not be “conditioned upon the erasure of its past and the evidence required to secure justice for its victims.”
The issue is particularly significant because thousands of Palestinians remain missing beneath destroyed homes and other buildings.
Last month, a Palestinian recovery operation working through rubble in Gaza City recovered the remains of 112 people from the same extended family, according to Reuters.
61 Million Tons of Rubble
The scale of the destruction presents an enormous physical challenge even before questions of evidence preservation are taken into account.
According to UN estimates cited by Reuters, Gaza now contains approximately 61 million tons of rubble.
Clearing it could take seven years.
The debris includes the remains of residential buildings, hospitals, schools, roads and other civilian infrastructure destroyed or damaged during Israel’s genocidal campaign.
More than 73,000 Palestinians have been killed since October 2023, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, while thousands remain missing.
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