UN expert report: Israeli forces and Palestinian militants have engaged in gender-based violence

2024-06-12 20:17:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

UN expert report: Israeli forces and Palestinian militants have engaged in

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Human rights experts commissioned by the United Nations point out in a report published on Wednesday that Israeli forces and Palestinian militants have committed sexual and gender-based violence in the first three months of the conflict, which began on October 7. of last year.

Independent experts provide a detailed overview of events that are mostly published in the media. They also point out that Israel and Palestinian militants have committed war crimes, while Israel has also committed crimes against humanity. The report focuses on the period between the October 7 attack and the end of last year.

Israel, which has refused to cooperate with this United Nations office, which it accuses of being biased against it, rejected the accusations.

The report lists numerous allegations of rights violations and crimes committed by both sides. It states that Israeli forces have committed acts such as forced starvation, deliberate killings, collective punishment and deliberate attacks on civilians, and that the military wing of Hamas and other militant groups have committed deliberate killings and ill-treatment of civilians and engaged in in kidnappings and taking hostages.

The findings were released as the conflict entered its ninth month, with little sign that an end is imminent.

The report says the frequency, prevalence and severity of sexual and gender-based crimes against Palestinians by Israeli forces during this period late last year suggest that such forms of violence "are part of the forces' operational procedures." Israeli."

While citing denials by Hamas' military wing of allegations of sexual violence against Israeli women, the report notes that experts documented "instances indicative of sexual violence" against women and men near the site of the music festival, at a military checkpoint. and in some Israeli settlements which were attacked by militants.

This group of experts was convened in 2021 by the UN Human Rights Council to investigate abuses and rights violations in Israel and the Palestinian territories controlled by it. The expert group is chaired by Navi Pillay, former UN human rights chief. They are independent experts and do not speak on behalf of the UN. Israel refuses to cooperate with them.

Israel's diplomatic mission in Geneva responded to the report, calling it an "offensive and disgusting attempt to create a false comparison between Israel Defense Forces soldiers and Hamas terrorists in terms of sexual violence" and points to frequent claims that experts are against Israel.

The report and Israel's response are the latest indication of a growing rift between the UN, its institutions and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government over Israel's response to the deadly October 7 attack by Palestinian militants and the kidnapping of Israelis.

On Tuesday, the UN human rights office, a separate body from the Independent Panel of Experts, said Israeli forces and armed groups may have committed war crimes during the Israeli forces' bloody weekend operation to rescue four hostages. Hundreds of Palestinians were killed during this operation./ VOA