Türk added that many of the remains appear to be whole families, including women and children, underscoring the human scale of the tragedy.

The concerns echo a 2024 UN report that found Israeli strikes on residential buildings and other civilian sites in the early weeks of the war may have violated international humanitarian law.

According to the Palestinian Civil Defence, more than 630 bodies and human remains have been recovered since November 2025, while authorities estimate that over 8,000 people are still buried in the wreckage.

Ajith Sunghay, head of the UN human rights office for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, said Israel’s restrictions on items such as DNA kits, excavators and heavy machinery are impeding recovery and identification work.

Türk called for full access for international investigators to all parts of Gaza, arguing that unrestricted entry is essential to preserve evidence and enable reliable war‑crimes investigations.

Without the ability to examine the remains and the sites where they were found, accountability for alleged violations of international law will remain difficult to achieve.