- A UN commission accuses Israel of using sexual violence to oppress Palestinians
- Israel is blamed for destroying Gaza health centers and blocking supplies
- Netanyahu denies the charges, calling the UN biased
A United Nations expert commission has accused Israel of committing severe human rights violations, including using sexual violence as a tool of repression against the Palestinian population.
Israel has firmly denied these accusations, calling the commission biased and claiming it applies double standards toward Israel compared to other parties involved in the conflict.
The report, published on Thursday, March 13, states that sexual and gender-based violence has increased both in frequency and severity. It documents instances of sexual assault, rape, and public humiliation, such as forcing individuals to undress. The commission asserts that these actions were either directly ordered or tacitly approved by Israeli military and civilian leaders.
The report also highlights the destruction of health centers in the Gaza Strip by Israeli forces. It further alleges that Israel blocked the import of essential medicines and supplies for pregnant women and newborns, contributing to preventable deaths. The commission categorizes these actions as crimes against humanity and claims that hindering births qualifies as genocide.
In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected the accusations, describing the UN Human Rights Council as an anti-Semitic, corrupt, and irrelevant entity. He criticized the council for focusing on Israel instead of addressing crimes committed by Hamas, which launched a massacre against the Jewish people.
Navi Pillay, chair of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, defended the findings, saying that the evidence points to a troubling rise in sexual and gender-based violence by Israel against Palestinians. She argued that these actions are aimed at terrorizing Palestinians and maintaining a system of oppression.
The commission’s conclusions were based on interviews with victims and witnesses, as well as photographic and video evidence. Their investigation covers incidents 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, resulting in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people and the abduction of 250 individuals to Gaza. The commission had earlier released a report in June 2024 detailing violence and torture during the attack. The commission stated that Israel did not respond to requests for information.
The UN Human Rights Council established the commission of experts in 2021 to investigate alleged violations of international law in Israel and the Palestinian territories. The commission’s mission is to hold Israel accountable in international courts.
