UN experts condemn human rights violations against women and girls in Palestine
In a statement released on Monday, UN experts expressed grave concern over reports of severe human rights abuses inflicted upon Palestinian women and girls in the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank since Israel initiated its offensive on October 7, 2023.
The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) disclosed disturbing details, citing arbitrary executions of Palestinian women and girls, often in conjunction with family members, including children.
Shockingly, the experts highlighted instances of deliberate targeting and extrajudicial killings of Palestinian women and children, even in areas where they sought refuge or while attempting to flee. Some victims were reportedly holding white flags when fatally shot by israeli forces.
The OHCHR also decried the arbitrary detention of hundreds of Palestinian women and girls, including human rights defenders, journalists, and aid workers, in Gaza and the West Bank. Reports indicated inhumane treatment, including denial of essential items like menstrual pads, food, and medicine, as well as severe beatings by Israeli forces.
Alarming allegations included instances of female detainees being subjected to multiple forms of sexual assault, including stripping naked and invasive searches by male Israeli army officers. Shockingly, at least two female detainees were reportedly raped, with others threatened with sexual violence.
Further reports suggested that the israeli army captured photos of female detainees in degrading conditions, uploading them online. Additionally, an undisclosed number of Palestinian women, children, and girls were reported missing after being detained by Israeli forces, with disturbing accounts of infants forcibly transferred to Israel and children separated from their parents.
The experts called for an independent, impartial investigation into these incidents and urged Israel to cooperate fully. They emphasized that such acts may constitute grave violations of international human rights and humanitarian law, potentially amounting to serious crimes under international criminal law.
Demanding accountability, the experts stressed that perpetrators must be held responsible, while victims and their families are entitled to justice and redress. (ILKHA)