Nearly 300 bodies found in mass grave at Gaza hospital, says Gaza Civil Defense

A mass grave with nearly 300 bodies has been uncovered at a hospital in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, Gaza Civil Defense workers said Monday, following the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the area earlier this month.

Col. Yamen Abu Suleiman, Director of Civil Defense in Khan Younis told CNN Monday that “today, 73 bodies were recovered” in the courtyard at the Nasser Medical Complex which brought the “total number to 283.”

Suleiman alleged that some of the bodies had been found with hands and feet tied, “and there were signs of field executions. We do not know if they were buried alive or executed. Most of the bodies are decomposed.”

CNN is unable to verify Suleiman’s claims and cannot confirm the causes of death among the bodies being unearthed.

CNN has reached out to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) for comment following the discovery of the mass grave including whether bodies that had been buried at the hospital had been disinterred for DNA tests, and whether they had been reburied. CNN has sent several questions to the IDF on Sunday and Monday.