1. United States
2. Pa.
3. Letter

I am reaching out to you urgently regarding the alarming discovery of mass graves inside the Nasser Medical Complex in Gaza’s Khan Younis. Palestinian civil defence crews have uncovered mass graves inside the Nasser Medical Complex in Gaza’s Khan Younis, with at least 283 bodies recovered so far. This discovery comes after the Israeli military withdrew its troops from the southern city on April 7, leaving much of Khan Younis in ruins after months of relentless bombardment. “In the hospital courtyard, civil defence members and paramedics have retrieved 283 bodies buried in this mass grave by the Israeli military. The bodies include elderly women, children, and young men,” reported Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud from Khan Younis. Furthermore, reports detailing the condition in which the bodies were found are deeply disturbing; some corpses were discovered without heads, bodies without skins, and some had their organs stolen. Additionally, some of the bodies had catheters attached, and others were found wearing nurse and doctor scrubs. It remains unclear whether they were buried alive or executed. Most of the bodies are decomposed, adding to the horror of this discovery. Attacks on hospitals are unequivocally illegal under international law, yet the destruction of vital medical facilities like the Nasser and al-Shifa hospitals continues unabated. Such actions flagrantly violate the Geneva Conventions and the fundamental principles of humanity. The situation in Gaza has reached a critical point, with ongoing war crimes and atrocities committed by Israel. The recent reports of mass graves underscore the gravity of the situation and demand immediate action. UN rights chief Volker Turk’s statement expressing horror at these reports underscores the gravity of the situation. He rightly warned against further escalations, emphasising the urgent need for intervention to prevent further loss of life and hold those responsible for these atrocities to account. This genocide has persisted for 200 days, and mere words of caution are not sufficient. It is imperative that decisive action is taken to end these heinous crimes against humanity. I urge you to use your influence to advocate for sanctions against Israel until a ceasefire is achieved. The international community must not stand idly by while such egregious violations of human rights continue unabated. Israel’s refusal to comply with the UN Security Council’s immediate ceasefire vote, despite Hamas’s agreement, underscores the urgency of the situation. There is no excuse for further delay; sanctions and a full arms embargo are now essential. Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter. I implore you to take the necessary steps to address this crisis and uphold the principles of justice and humanity.