Gaza Genocide · 07 September, 2026 · 2 min read
Francesca Albanese Warns Israel’s Gaza Rubble Clearance Could Destroy Atrocity Evidence
Albanese warns rubble removal could erase evidence of atrocity crimes and hinder remains recovery. UN cites about 61 million tonnes of Gaza rubble, potentially seven years to clear.
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Rubble clearance and evidence
A UN expert, Francesca Albanese, said on Monday that Israeli clearance of rubble in Gaza could destroy valuable evidence of “atrocity crimes” and prevent the recovery of human remains.
“could destroy valuable evidence of “atrocity crimes” and prevent the recovery of human remains”
Albanese said evidence should be gathered and human remains identified before full clearance started, warning that “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,”.
The UN said Israel’s assault on Gaza has generated around 61 million tons of wreckage and debris that could take seven years to clear, according to the United Nations.
Reuters reported that the 2023 Hamas-led attacks killed 1,200 people in Israel while another 251 were taken hostage, according to Israeli tallies, and that more than 73,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s military campaign, according to Gaza health authorities.
Hamas response and UN warning
Hamas said it appreciated Albanese’s warning and urged that the rubble be removed in a manner that “ensures the recovery of the remains of missing persons and the preservation of evidence.”
Albanese also said Palestinians should be behind any plans to remove waste, and her statement was titled “UN expert warns Israeli rubble-clearing could erase traces of atrocity crimes”.
Al Jazeera’s version of the warning described Albanese as saying Israel’s removal of rubble could destroy valuable evidence of “barbaric crimes” and prevent the recovery of the bodies of martyrs.
Al-Araby al-Jadid reported that Albanese said evidence collection and the identification of the owners of the remains must be done first before beginning any full-scale rubble removal, and quoted her statement that “In the destroyed Gaza Strip, the rubble is not just debris of buildings; it is part of a crime scene, a grave, and a physical record of what happened during a two-year campaign of senseless, brutal bombing.”
What’s at stake next
The stakes, Albanese warned, include the preservation of evidence tied to allegations of international crimes, with the UN expert saying multiple sources confirmed Israeli companies were involved in the clearance without naming those sources.
“Palestinian authorities estimate more than 8,000 people remain buried in the wreckage”
The reporting also put the scale of the task in focus: Palestinian authorities estimate more than 8,000 people remain buried in the wreckage, while a Palestinian recovery team that combed through the wreckage in Gaza City last month said it found the remains of 112 people from the same clan.
In parallel, the UN expert’s warning was linked to the International Court of Justice’s orders, with Al-Jazira Net saying Albanese reminded that the International Court of Justice ordered Israel in January 2024 to take measures to prevent destroying evidence and ensure its preservation.
Al-Araby al-Jadid also framed the issue as a potential attempt to erase evidence, reporting that Hamas warned of “attempts by the occupation government and its army to erase evidence of the crimes of genocide committed against the Palestinian people in Gaza by removing, crushing, and transferring rubble,” and called for investigative teams and international forensic experts to supervise retrieval and documentation.