UN rights chief calls for independent investigation as more bodies recovered from Gaza mass graves [Video]

WARNING: This story contains graphic descriptions of human remains.

The United Nations human rights chief on Tuesday said he was horrified by reports of the discovery of hundreds of bodies in mass graves at two medical facilities in Gaza and called for an independent investigation into the deaths and destruction of the complexes.

“Given the prevailing climate of impunity, this should include international investigators,” Volk Türk said in a statement. 

In the statement, he said the UN human rights office had “renewed concerns about possible war crimes” after officials in Gaza reported finding hundreds of bodies in mass graves at Nasser medical complex in Khan Younis after Israeli forces withdrew from the area in southern Gaza earlier this month.

Palestinian authorities also said they had found bodies at the Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City in the north.

“Hospitals are entitled to very special protection under international humanitarian law,” Türk said. “The intentional killing of civilians, detainees and others who …