- UN experts demand investigation into abuses by Israeli forces in Gaza.
- Shocking reports of arbitrary detention, sexual abuse, and abuse excitations of Palestinian women and girls.
On Monday, a group of United Nations experts called for an imminent investigation into reports that Israeli forces have arbitrarily detained, sexually abused, and executed Palestinian women and girls in the Gaza Strip.
“We are shocked by reports of the deliberate targeting and extrajudicial killing of Palestinian women and children in places where they sought refuge, or while fleeing,” said Reem Alsalem, rapporteur on violence against women and girls; Francesca Albanese, rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories; and Dorothy Estrada Tanck, Claudia Flores, Ivana Krstić, Haina Lu, and Laura Nyirinkindi from the group ‘Discrimination against women and girls’.
“Some of them were reportedly holding white pieces of cloth when they were killed by the Israeli army or affiliated forces,” the U.N. experts continued. “We are particularly distressed by reports that Palestinian women and girls in detention have also been subjected to multiple forms of sexual assault, such as being stripped naked and searched by male Israeli army officers. At least two female Palestinian detainees were reportedly raped while others were reportedly threatened with rape and sexual violence.”
Palestinian women and children have borne the brunt of Israel’s large-scale assault on Gaza, accounting for approximately 70% of the more than 29,000 casualties October 7th.
Over the past four months, the Israeli military has detained thousands of Gazans, among them numerous women and children, without charge throughout the besieged enclave. Detainees have recounted incidents of torture and other mistreatment by Israeli soldiers, with some perpetrators even posting evidence of their actions online.
Tamam al-Aswad, a Palestinian mother who was arrested in December and freed earlier this month, told Reuters following her release that she was handcuffed, blindfolded, and placed on a bus with other detainees. At one point, al-Aswad said, an Israeli soldier slammed her head into a wall and hit her on the back after she refused to kiss an Israeli flag.
Last year, the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor estimated that Israeli forces had detained over 3,000 Gazans since October. The organization also reported receiving testimonies confirming instances of abuse and threats of rape against Palestinian women while in Israeli custody.
The U.N. experts asserted on Monday that they have seen “credible allegations of egregious human rights violations” by Israeli forces against women and girls in Gaza.
“Many have reportedly been subjected to inhuman and degrading treatment, denied menstruation pads, food, and medicine, and severely beaten,” they said. “On at least one occasion, Palestinian women detained in Gaza were allegedly kept in a cage in the rain and cold, without food.”
“Taken together, these alleged acts may constitute grave violations of international human rights and humanitarian law, and amount to serious crimes under international criminal law that could be prosecuted under the Rome Statute,” the experts continued. “Those responsible for these apparent crimes must be held accountable and victims and their families are entitled to full redress and justice.”
