US seeking information from Israel on 'incredibly troubling' reports of Gaza mass graves

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - The US State Department said Tuesday that it is seeking additional information from the Israeli government after reports surfaced of mass graves containing dozens of bodies being discovered at Gaza hospitals where Israel had laid siege.

"We have seen those reports, and the reports are incredibly troubling and we're inquiring on this with the government of Israel," spokesperson Vedant Patel told reporters.

"I don't have any specific information to offer, insight into what this is or isn't. I don't have a sense of that from up here. But we are inquiring about this with the government of Israel," he added.

Thirty bodies of Palestinians were recovered from two mass graves at al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City last week following a 14-day Israeli raid on the hospital, the largest in Gaza, in March. The hospital was largely reduced to ruins after Israel withdrew April 1.

At least 283 corpses were found in a mass grave at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis after the Israeli army withdrew from the city April 7 following a four-month ground offensive, according to Gaza's civil defense agency. Egypt has demanded an international investigation.

Israel has waged a sweeping offensive on the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack led by Hamas on Oct. 7, which killed less than 1,200 people.

At least 34,151 Palestinians have since been killed, mostly women and children, and 77,00 have been injured amid mass destruction and severe shortages of necessities.

The Israeli war has pushed 85% of Gaza’s population into internal displacement as acute shortages of food plunge Gaza into famine.

Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.