Geneva, United Nations experts have voiced their grave concerns over credible reports of severe human rights violations against Palestinian women and girls in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. The alarming allegations include arbitrary executions, detention under inhumane conditions, and instances of sexual assault, raising serious questions about the treatment of women and children in conflict zones.
According to Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the UN experts were appalled by the deliberate targeting and extrajudicial killing of Palestinian women and children, some of whom were reportedly holding white cloths as symbols of peace when they were killed by the Israeli army or affiliated forces. These reports suggest a distressing pattern of violence in places where victims sought refuge or were attempting to flee.
The experts also highlighted the arbitrary detention of hundreds of Palestinian women and girls since October 7, including human rights defenders, journalists, and humanitarian workers. The detainees have allegedly faced inhuman and degrading treatment, including denial of essential items such as menstruation pads, food, and medicine, and have been subjected to severe beatings. Disturbingly, there are reports of women being kept in cages outdoors in adverse weather conditions without food.
Of particular concern are the allegations of sexual assault against Palestinian women and girls in detention, including instances where individuals were stripped, searched by male officers, and in some cases, raped. The experts condemned the apparent use of sexual violence and the threat thereof as a tool of war, noting that photos of female detainees in degrading circumstances were also reportedly disseminated online by the Israeli army.
The disappearance of an unknown number of Palestinian women and children after encounters with the Israeli army in Gaza was another critical issue raised by the UN experts. They cited reports of children being separated from their parents and a female infant allegedly being forcibly transferred to Israel, with the whereabouts of many remaining unknown.
The UN experts reminded the Government of Israel of its obligations to protect the rights and dignity of Palestinian women and girls, emphasizing the need for an independent and thorough investigation into these allegations. They stressed that the reported actions might constitute grave breaches of international human rights and humanitarian law, potentially amounting to serious crimes under the Rome Statute. The experts called for accountability for those responsible for these violations and justice for the victims and their families.