Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops.

Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of the bodies show evidence of torture, mutilation, and mass execution. Some have been found stripped naked with bound hands, while others still had medical tubes attached to them indicating that they were likely buried alive.

In the same week the United States pledged a further $17bn to the Israeli war machine. The US is now calling for an investigation into the mass graves to be led by Israel with no independent international oversight.

“This is a new level of horror that we haven’t seen before” said Te Pāti Māori co-leader and human rights spokesperson Debbie Ngarewa-Packer.

“We won’t accept the findings of any investigation that is not independent of Israel and the United States. To do so is to be complicit in covering up one of the worst atrocities to ever be witnessed.

“Israel has proven beyond doubt that they have no regard for the humanity of Palestinian people, or international law. The international community needs to stop viewing them as though they are anything more than a rogue state.

“Israel is demonstrating the depths of depravity that humanity can sink to. It is unconscionable that Aotearoa still maintains diplomatic relations with a nation that is actively committing war crimes” said Ngarewa-Packer.

“We need to impose immediate sanctions on Israel, and end all talks with the AUKUS war machine.

“The United Nations has called for an independent international investigation into the mass graves uncovered at Al-Shifa and Nasser hospitals, and the New Zealand Government must back this call” said Ngarewa-Packer.

“Our government must exert as much pressure as we can to hold Israel accountable for their crimes against humanity.

“Palestine is the last bastion of resistance against global Western colonisation. If Palestine is not free, neither are we,” Ngarewa-Packer said.

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