Sky News Host Grills Israeli Envoy On Claim Gazans In ‘Mass Grave’ Are ‘Probably Terrorists’ Killed In Battle: ‘How Do They Fight With Hands Tied?’
Israeli Special Envoy Fleur Hassan-Nahoum struggled to explain to Sky News host Kay Burley how some Gazans found in “a mass grave” at Nasser Hospital had their hands tied, and suggested that they were “probably terrorists” who were “shooting” and “throwing grenades” before being killed.
On Tuesday the United Nations human rights chief Volker Türk said he was “horrified” by reports of mass graves found at two of Gaza’s hospitals containing hundreds of bodies on Tuesday.
UN spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said that the bodies were “buried deep in the ground and covered with waste” and said that “among the deceased were allegedly older people, women and wounded.” Others “had their hands tied” which she said “indicates serious violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law.”
Amid UN calls for further investigations, Burley raised the subject with Hassan-Nahoum on Thursday during a Sky News interview. The host pressed the Isreali envoy on her suggesting those in the graves were likely terrorists killed in battle, asking: “how do they fight back with their hands tied behind their backs?”
Burley: “At least 283 corpses found in a mass grave at Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis. The UN human rights chief has said he is absolutely horrified. Who do you think those bodies are?”
Hassan-Nahoum: “Probably terrorists, because the ratio of combatant to innocent that Israel has is unprecedented in modern warfare. We know we’ve killed about 15,000 terrorists. There was a terrible battle in those areas so the chances are…”
Burley: “How do you think these people died?”
Hassan-Nahoum: “In gun battles with Israel.”
Burley: “Why do you think some of the bodies were found with ties around their hands?”
Hassan-Nahoum: “Well, because we probably arrested the terrorists.”
Burley: “And then killed them?”
Hassan-Nahoum: “Well, I don’t know if the terrorists fall back. I wasn’t there. But all i can tell you is that this has been a very difficult urban warfare that nobody on earth has experienced this type of warfare, where the terrorists are hiding in tunnels, where they’re cowards because they won’t face their enemy. They just leave innocent people up there whilst they hide in tunnels that are bigger than the London underground. And they come out, they shoot, and it could be that many of them were shot and they were shooting in a battle. And it could be that there were bombs thrown by them and grenades. There could be a million different scenarios of why these were found. But remember, we’re in the middle of it.”
Burley: “Just to clarify for me, if you would, how do they fight back with their hands tied behind their backs?”
Hassan-Nahoum: “Well, we don’t know what they were doing before their hands were tied behind their backs, do we?”
Burley: “No, but if you’ve managed to cable tie them, they shouldn’t subsequently find them dead, should we?”
Hassan-Nahoum: “And maybe, again, we’re just conjecturing. Maybe his friends threw a grenade, and then what happens? Maybe there was a missile, maybe they threw a rocket, and then what happens? Again, this is conjecture. I wasn’t there, you weren’t there. We can’t know. All I know is that our army has…”
Burley: “Neither was Amnesty International, and they say there’s been a lack of access for human rights investigators.”
Hassan-Nahoum: “It’s a shame that they’re not worried about the lack of access to hostages who haven’t been visited…”
Burley: “I want to come on to hostages in a moment. That’s also on my list to talk to you. But what would you say to Amnesty International saying there’s been a lack of access for human rights investigators?”
Hassan-Nahoum: “We’re in the middle of a war. They want access. They’ll have access after the war. How could we let them in? Let’s say we let them in and three of them get killed. And then what happens? Who’s to blame?”
Watch above on Sky News
