UN experts accuses Israel of sexual violence against Palestinians

A United Nations commission of experts has accused Israel of committing serious human rights violations, including the use of sexual violence as a means of oppressing and controlling the Palestinian population.

Israel firmly rejects the allegations, calling the commission biased and accusing it of applying different standards for Israel than to other parties.

The report issued on Thursday said sexual and gender-based violence "has risen in frequency and severity."

It documents cases of sexual assault and rape, as well as instances where individuals were forced to undress in public. These acts were said to have been carried out either on direct orders or with the tacit approval of military and civilian leadership.

In the Gaza Strip, health centres were systematically destroyed by Israeli forces, and the import of medicines and essential supplies for pregnant women and newborns was blocked: As a result, women and children died from preventable complications, the expert report said.

The commission argues that these actions constitute crimes against humanity and that the prevention of births meets the criteria for genocide.

Commission: Violence used to terrorize Palestinians

"The evidence collected by the commission reveals a deplorable increase in sexual and gender-based violence," said Navi Pillay, chair of Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

“There is no escape from the conclusion that Israel has employed sexual and gender-based violence against Palestinians to terrorize them and perpetuate a system of oppression that undermines their right to self-determination."

The commission conducted interviews with victims and witnesses and analysed photographic and video evidence. Its findings cover events in the Gaza Strip, the occupied West Bank, and East Jerusalem since October 7, 2023.

On that day, Palestinian militant groups launched a large-scale attack on Israel, killing approximately 1,200 people and abducting around 250 to Gaza.

The commission previously released a report in June 2024 detailing acts of violence and torture committed during the attack.

According to the commission, Israel did not respond to requests for information.

Independent experts

The UN Human Rights Council established this independent panel of experts in 2021 to investigate alleged violations of international humanitarian and human rights law in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories. The commission says that its work aims to hold Israel accountable before international courts.