UN rapporteur accuses Israel of potentially destroying Gaza war crimes evidence in rubble-clearing operations

UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese accused Israel on Monday of potentially destroying evidence of alleged war crimes by clearing rubble from areas of Gaza under Israeli military control.

The United Nations estimates that the war has generated around 61 million tons of rubble and debris, which could take approximately seven years to clear. Albanese warned that the rubble could contain evidence of alleged “atrocity crimes” as well as human remains and called for evidence to be collected and remains identified before large-scale clearance proceeds.

"In devastated Gaza, rubble is not just construction waste," she said. "It is part of a crime scene, a graveyard, and the material record of what happened during a brutal and senseless bombing campaign that lasted two years.”

Albanese issued the statement under the title "UN expert warns Israeli rubble-clearing could erase traces of atrocity crimes." She said that if the rubble is to be cleared, Palestinians should be allowed to lead the process while ensuring that evidence of the alleged “atrocity crimes” is preserved.

Reuters reported that Albanese said multiple sources had confirmed Israeli companies were involved in the clearance, but she did not identify those sources. Her office did not immediately respond to questions about the basis for the claim. Israel did not respond to Reuters' request for comment and has previously rejected Albanese's criticism.

Israeli engineers have begun clearing rubble in some areas on the western side of the so-called “Yellow Line,” where the Israel Defense Forces maintains control.

Albanese has repeatedly drawn criticism from Israeli officials and several foreign governments over her statements regarding Israel and the Gaza war. In February, she participated by video in an Al Jazeera Forum in Doha that also featured Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal. The forum was held from Feb. 7-9, 2026.

During her remarks, Albanese referred to Israel as “the common enemy” of the entire human race, in remarks that were later echoed in criticism from Turkish President Recep Erdogan when he said, “Israel is a burden humanity can no longer bear.”

The comments prompted criticism from Israeli officials and French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot. Israel’s envoy to the European Union, Avi Nir-Feldklein, posted an open appeal to UN Secretary-General António Guterres in which he asked: “How do you justify the UN’s Special Rapporteur, Francesca Albanese, appearing at a forum run by Al Jazeera, the Muslim Brotherhood propaganda arm, alongside the foreign minister of Iran’s terror regime, fresh from killing and executing its own citizens, and alongside a senior leader of Hamas, one of the world’s deadliest terrorist organizations, responsible for the October 7th massacre?”

Barrot also criticized Albanese during a parliamentary meeting in Paris in mid-February, saying her comments on the situation in Gaza “target not the Israeli government, whose policies can be criticized, but Israel as a people and as a nation, which is absolutely unacceptable.”

Albanese has also faced criticism from other governments over her comments and actions concerning Israel. In July 2025, the United States imposed sanctions on her, citing her efforts to encourage International Criminal Court proceedings involving Israeli and U.S. officials and entities.