Israel accused of more war crimes after 30 bodies found in Gaza school

The dead bodies of some 30 Palestinians have been found in a school in north Gaza after the Israeli military's withdrawal, following weeks of heavy fighting which has laid waste to the area and cut off civilians from communication and aid, the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants said today (31 January).

The bodies were discovered in the Khalifa bin Zayed school in Beit Lahia in north Gaza – an area which had been besieged for weeks. Israeli forces also conducted mass arrests of Palestinians in the area, the ministry said in a statement published on its website.

"According to the testimonies of Palestinian citizens, more than 30 decomposing bodies of Palestinian martyrs buried in the northern Gaza Strip were discovered, who were killed while blindfolded and their hands tied, in clear evidence that they were executed in the field, knowing that other accounts talk about a larger number of them, in the most heinous forms of genocide committed by the occupation forces against our people in the Gaza Strip uncontrollably," the ministry said.

"The ministry believes that the discovery of this mass grave in this brutal form reflects the scale of the tragedy to which Palestinian civilians are exposed, the mass massacres and executions of even detainees, in flagrant and gross violation of all relevant international norms and laws," it added.

The ministry called for the formation of an international investigation team to visit the Gaza Strip and conduct an examination and inspection of all areas to see the truth and dimensions of the genocide to which our people are subjected, and to work to follow up on the situation of all missing persons and detainees held by the occupation authorities.

According to footage aired by Al Jazeera on the day, the bodies were found handcuffed and blindfolded in plastic bags which had been buried underneath piles of dirt and sand.

The discovery has raised suspicions that the individuals were subjected to summary executions by the Israeli army. It is not yet clear who the victims are.

The Palestinian Prisoners Club, which monitors Palestinians imprisoned by Israel, said the fact that the bodies were handcuffed and blindfolded indicated they had been arrested, then subjected to a field execution, reports The New Arab.

Under the Geneva Convention on the treatment of prisoners in war, prisoners must be humanely treated at all times. Article 13 states that any unlawful act by the detaining power which causes death or serious injury of a prisoner in its custody is prohibited.

Since Israel began its offensive in Gaza, there have been increasing reports of executions, abuse, and arbitrary arrests by Israeli forces against Palestinian men, women, and children.

In December, reporters from Al Jazeera discovered around 15 decomposing bodies at a school near the Jabalia refugee camp in north Gaza which was being used as a shelter for displaced families.

Eyewitnesses and relatives of the victims said they were shot at point-blank range by Israeli soldiers.

Israel has repeatedly struck civilian buildings such as schools, hospitals, mosques, churches and universities during its four-month-long aerial and ground assault on Gaza.

Aid convoys and medical workers have also been targeted with UN agencies and humanitarian organisations in recent weeks urging global powers to implement a ceasefire to allow the proper entry and distribution of aid to the devastated population.

Almost 27,000 Palestinians have been killed in the military campaign, which was sparked by Hamas' unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7 which killed over 1,200 Israelis and saw the group take over 200 hostages.