Gaza Hospital Unearths Mass Grave Holding Nearly 300 Bodies, Revealed by Gaza Civil Defense

A mass grave containing almost 300 bodies was discovered at a hospital in Khan Younis, southern Gaza. Gaza Civil Defense workers made this revelation on Monday, after Israeli forces withdrew from the area earlier this month.

Col. Yamen Abu Suleiman, Director of Civil Defense in Khan Younis, informed CNN on Monday that a total of 283 bodies were found in the courtyard of the Nasser Medical Complex. Today alone, 73 bodies were recovered.

Suleiman claimed that some bodies were discovered with their hands and feet bound, and there were indications of executions in the field. It is uncertain whether they were buried alive or killed. Many of the bodies are in a state of decomposition.

CNN is not able to authenticate Suleiman's statements and is unable to verify the reasons behind the deaths of the bodies that are being uncovered.

CNN has contacted the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to inquire about the mass grave discovery. They have asked about the bodies that were buried at the hospital, if they were exhumed for DNA testing, and if they were reburied. CNN submitted several questions to the IDF on Sunday and Monday.

According to Khan Younis Civil Defense spokesman and search mission leader Raed Saqr, they are currently looking for the remains of 400 missing individuals following the departure of the Israeli military on April 7.

During a visit to the scene on Sunday, a CNN stringer reported that people had buried the bodies of their family members at the hospital grounds in January as a temporary solution. However, upon their return after the Israeli withdrawal, they discovered that the bodies had been exhumed. This was believed to be due to the IDF conducting DNA testing to identify any hostages held in Gaza among the deceased.

According to the stringer, the bodies were subsequently placed in at least one collective grave.

One man shared with CNN that he has not been able to locate the body of his 21-year-old son, who tragically passed away in January. He expressed his distress by saying, "I haven't found him yet. We had laid him to rest over there. But we can't seem to locate him. We just want to give him a proper burial."

Another man shared that his brother Alaa was killed in January. He mentioned that he has been searching for him at the hospital for the past two weeks and remains hopeful of finding him soon.

He pointed towards a fallen palm tree, indicating that his brother had been temporarily buried there.

The man's mother said they had been searching for two weeks but still couldn't find his body. She had buried him on the side, but now he was nowhere to be found. The Israelis had dug up the dead bodies and switched them, causing confusion. They even took DNA tests but ended up misplacing all the bodies.

Another woman shared with CNN that she spent 10 days searching for her daughter's body. Tragically, her daughter was killed and buried in the hospital grounds in late January after a nearby residential building was hit.

KHAN YUNIS, GAZA - DECEMBER 22: A view of Nasser Hospital in the city of Khan Yunis in Gaza, on December 22, 2020. In the blockaded Gaza Strip, healthcare professionals continue to struggle for the treatment of novel coronavirus (Covid-19) patients. Healthcare staff in the hospital, work with overalls, masks, glasses to minimize the risk of contamination during work. In the blockaded Gaza Strip, healthcare professionals continue to struggle for the treatment of novel coronavirus (Covid-19) patients. (Photo by Abed Zagout/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

In the city of Khan Yunis in Gaza, Nasser Hospital stands tall, serving as a vital healthcare facility. Despite the challenges posed by the blockade in Gaza, healthcare professionals at the hospital are dedicated to treating patients with the novel coronavirus (Covid-19). They wear protective gear such as overalls, masks, and glasses to reduce the risk of contamination while carrying out their duties. The healthcare staff's commitment to providing care amidst difficult circumstances is truly commendable. (Photo by Abed Zagout/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

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She mentioned that the Israelis had removed the bodies from the graves and mixed them up. She and her uncle's wife were buried at the same time.

The mother also mentioned that they were able to locate the body of her uncle's wife. However, they were unable to find the rest of the bodies.

Saqr informed CNN on Sunday that the Civil Defence team has been looking for bodies at the medical complex for three days already and the search is still ongoing. He mentioned that there are 400 missing individuals and they are still working to find the remaining bodies.

The IDF has mentioned that they have taken several bodies from Gaza to Israel for DNA testing before bringing them back in containers.

In January and February, there was heavy fighting and bombing around the Nasser Medical Complex. Due to the dangerous situation, bodies were reportedly buried on the hospital grounds as there was no safe way to reach cemeteries, as reported by CNN.

Journalist Tareq Al Hilou contributed reporting to this story from Gaza.

Editor's P/S:

The discovery of a mass grave in Gaza, containing nearly 300 bodies, is a harrowing testament to the horrors inflicted on the Palestinian people during the