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UN reports lack of respect for remains buried in Gaza rubble by Israel

Get you up to speed: Israel lacking respect for dead buried in Gaza rubble: UN

What remains unclear — The exact number of individuals still unaccounted for beneath the rubble in Gaza remains unspecified, though estimates suggest over 8,000.

UN reports lack of respect for remains buried in Gaza rubble by Israel

NewsIsrael lacking respect for dead buried in Gaza rubble: UN

Human rights chief reiterates concern over war crimes evidence as remains from entire families are unearthed.

Published On 15 Sep 202615 Sep 2026

Areas in war-devastated Gaza continue to be razed by Israeli bulldozers with “no respect for the dead”, the United Nations’ human rights chief has said.

Volker Turk criticised Israel’s actions in clearing rubble in the enclave in a statement issued on Tuesday. His words come as the discovery of “extensive” remains have heightened concerns that evidence of war crimes is being destroyed or concealed.

“Much of Gaza has been flattened by Israeli bombing or demolition and clearing by heavy machinery and explosives,” he said, warning that areas where the Israeli military remains deployed “continue to be levelled by bulldozers with no respect for the dead under the rubble”.

Smoke and fire rise after a house was targeted by an Israeli strike in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, on September 9, 2026 [AFP]

The UN human rights chief said the remains of what appeared to be entire families were being unearthed from sites that were destroyed during Israeli attacks, adding that many victims were women and children.

“It is heartbreaking that the loved ones of those missing for so long are only now having their worst ⁠fears confirmed,” he said.

Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza has generated about 61 million tonnes of wreckage and debris. It could take seven years to clear the debris, the UN has estimated.

A US-brokered “ceasefire” in October 2025 has failed to halt regular Israeli strikes and attacks, with more than 1,300 Palestinians killed since the “truce” came into effect, according to Gaza officials.

Widespread destruction

Palestinian Civil Defence says more than 630 bodies and human remains have been recovered from beneath destroyed buildings across Gaza since November 2025.

Palestinian authorities estimate more than 8,000 people remain buried in the wreckage.

Turk said he feared the remains recovered ⁠so far could be “only the tip of the iceberg,” noting that large parts of Gaza had been flattened ⁠by Israeli bombing or later demolition and clearance operations.

The UN official also reiterated his concerns over Israel’s conduct, including its extensive use of explosive weapons in densely populated areas, which he said failed to effectively distinguish between civilians and fighters.

“The discovery of extensive remains under the rubble in Gaza City resurfaces these concerns of war crimes and other atrocity crimes,” he added.

“The reported killing of large numbers of family members, including children, women and persons with disabilities, in attacks on residential buildings, raises grave concerns regarding compliance with the rules governing the conduct of hostilities,” he said.

On September 6, Palestinians in northern Gaza held funerals for about 100 people, including 60 children, whose remains were recovered from the rubble of destroyed buildings.

Continued violence

Despite last year’s agreement to halt the hostilities, the Israeli military continues its operations in Gaza.

One Palestinian was killed by sniper fire in the north of the enclave on Tuesday.

The man was in the Jabalia refugee camp when he was shot by a sniper positioned on a high-rise crane, WTX News reporters said.

At least two other people were killed in an Israeli drone attack on an industrial area of Gaza City, according to a source from the enclave’s Ambulance and Emergencies service.

British man found dead near goat’s head in Sicily, police investigate

Get you up to speed: British man’s naked body ‘found beside goat’s head’ amid fears of ritual killing in Sicily | News World

What remains unclear — The exact cause of John Benjamin’s death and the implications of the injuries found on his body have yet to be determined by the autopsy.

British man found dead near goat’s head in Sicily, police investigate

Police are investigating the death outside of the remote town of Canicattini Bagni (Picture: Facebook)

Mystery surrounds the death of a British man with locals fearing his death could be connected to esoteric rituals.

John Benjamin, 35, was found dead by a makeshift tent on the land surrounding an abandoned Sicilian farmhouse on Sunday morning.

A goat’s head, drug paraphernalia, and a rope were discovered close to his naked body just a few kilometres from the town of Canicattini Bagni, according to local media reports.

It was reported that the Brit had been camping in the area for a few days and had been looking to join up with the nomadic group settled in the Sicilian mountains.

A few people staying at the camp will be interviewed by police after neck injuries were discovered.

Hippie communities have taken up lodgings close to the Sicilian coastline (Picture: Getty)

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The close-knit Canicattini Bagni community has been rocked by the death, which has marred the isolated town’s celebration of its patron saint.

Townsfolk have been seeking information on ‘flower child’ hippie communities performing ‘spiritual rituals’ out in the rugged countryside.

Locals told La Sicilia that decades ago, a group of youths would break into the cemetery at night to light fires and write on the walls – but they were identified and punished by their parents.

Mayor Paolo Amenta spoke out on the death, telling the town: ‘I am—and we, as a community, are—deeply shaken and saddened by what has occurred.

‘A person’s life is too precious to end in such dramatic circumstances—circumstances that have yet to be clarified. We stand with the family and share in their sorrow.’

The town’s mayor has reiterated the need for caution and to allow authorities including public prosecutors and forensics to carry out their investigation.

‘They have never caused any problems. They are mostly nomadic people passing through,’ Mayor Amenta said when asked about the group ‘who are seeking a freer life’.

He said children are often seen with the group as others are invited to join the lifestyle, even setting up more permanent homes.

‘When I had the opportunity to speak with them, they always conveyed a
strong sense of serenity to me. This is also why I was saddened and shocked by this news.’

‘They stay in the area for an average of ten days to a month. Some, however, stay longer’, he added.

Mr Benjamin’s body has been taken to the Lentini hospital morgue where an autopsy will hope to determine his cause of death.

The autopsy will be crucial for clarifying the circumstances of the death and determining the nature of the injuries found on the body. A toxicology report is also expected to shed light on the death.

The Foreign Office said: ‘We are supporting the family of a British man who died in Italy and are in touch with the local authorities.’

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