Report Alleges Use of Sexual Violence Against Palestinians by Israeli Forces
Chris Sidoti, a member of the Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), has claimed that Israel is increasingly using sexual, reproductive, and other forms of gender-based violence against Palestinians to undermine their right to self-determination.
Escalation of Gender-Based Violence
Speaking in Geneva, the human rights lawyer stated that the prevalence and severity of sexual and gender-based crimes in the OPT suggest that such violence is being systematically utilized as a method of war. He argued that these acts are aimed at destabilizing, dominating, oppressing, and ultimately destroying the Palestinian population.
The Commission of Inquiry, established by the UN Human Rights Council in May 2021, is tasked with investigating alleged violations of international law in the OPT, including East Jerusalem, as well as within Israel.
October 2023 Attacks in Israel
Previous UN reports have documented the terror attacks carried out by Hamas-led Palestinian fighters on October 7 and 8, 2023. The attacks targeted Israeli villages and towns, resulting in the deaths of approximately 1,250 people and the kidnapping of more than 250 hostages, who were taken to Gaza.
The Commission’s findings were published after two days of public hearings held in Geneva on March 11-12. During these hearings, victims, witnesses, medical personnel, civil society representatives, and legal experts shared their testimonies regarding sexual and reproductive violence.
Sidoti noted that the Commission had repeatedly requested information from Israeli authorities about specific cases of sexual and gender-based violence involving Palestinian prisoners from Gaza. However, Israel has reportedly not provided any information regarding the prosecution of Israeli security forces or settlers involved in alleged acts of sexual violence since October 2023.
Claims of Systematic Abuse
The Commission’s report states that sexual violence, forced public stripping, and nudity are routinely used by Israeli Security Forces against Palestinians. It alleges that acts of sexual harassment, including threats of rape and sexual assault, are considered “standard operating procedure.”
The report further claims that rape and genital violence were carried out either under direct orders or with implicit approval from Israel’s highest civilian and military leadership.
Sidoti described witness accounts of men and boys being forced to strip down to their underwear and left exposed in freezing conditions for up to three days, often forced to sit on stones.
Destruction of Reproductive Healthcare
The Commission’s findings also assert that Israeli forces systematically destroyed reproductive healthcare facilities across Gaza, including the Al Basma fertility clinic, Gaza’s largest fertility center. In December 2023, the clinic was reportedly shelled by Israeli tanks, destroying approximately 4,000 embryos.
Sidoti stated that while the soldiers firing the tanks may not have known the nature of the target, their commanders were likely aware that the facility was a fertility clinic.
The Commission’s report argues that these actions amount to genocidal acts, as defined in the Rome Statute and the Genocide Convention. This includes:
– Inflicting conditions intended to bring about the physical destruction of Palestinians
– Implementing measures to prevent births among the population
Navi Pillay, the head of the Commission, emphasized that attacks on reproductive healthcare—including maternity wards and IVF clinics—combined with the use of starvation as a weapon of war, have severely impacted Palestinian reproduction and fertility. She pointed out the long-term mental and physical harm inflicted, particularly on women and girls.
Israel's Response
The Israeli government has categorically rejected the findings of the Commission’s report. In a statement published in Geneva, Israel dismissed the allegations as “unfounded” and accused the Commission of using claims of sexual violence for political purposes.
Israel asserted that the Commission of Inquiry had a biased agenda, arguing that its actions undermine international efforts to combat sexual violence as a weapon of war.
Conclusion
The findings of the UN Commission have further intensified the ongoing international scrutiny of Israel’s military actions in Gaza and the West Bank. While the Israeli government denies the allegations, human rights organizations continue to push for further investigations into the alleged use of gender-based violence as a tool of war.
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