A bunch of United Nations human rights specialists denounced the Israeli army on Monday for “credible” allegations of execution and sexual assault in opposition to Palestinians in Gaza.
The unbiased specialists affiliated with the U.N. Human Rights Council mentioned the allegations represent “egregious human rights violations,” including to criticisms of the Israeli conflict effort in Gaza as its army reportedly prepares a floor invasion of Rafah.
Particularly, the specialists mentioned they had been shocked by reviews of the “deliberate focusing on and extrajudicial killing” of Palestinian girls and youngsters in Gaza by Israeli troopers, together with those that had been holding white fabric or fleeing.
Additionally they condemned the “arbitrary detention” of lots of of Palestinian girls and youngsters with “inhuman and degrading remedy,” together with going with out medical provides and meals.
“We’re notably distressed by reviews that Palestinian girls and women in detention have additionally been subjected to a number of types of sexual assault, comparable to being stripped bare and searched by male Israeli military officers,” the specialists mentioned. “Not less than two feminine Palestinian detainees had been reportedly raped whereas others had been reportedly threatened with rape and sexual violence.”
The discharge provides that some images of girls in degrading circumstances had been distributed on-line by Israeli troopers.
Moreover, the specialists mentioned they had been made conscious of the separation of Palestinian kids from their mother and father, and no less than one case of a Palestinian toddler being transported to Israel away from its household.
“We remind the Authorities of Israel of its obligation to uphold the fitting to life, security, well being, and dignity of Palestinian girls and women and to make sure that nobody is subjected to violence, torture, ill-treatment or degrading remedy, together with sexual violence,” the specialists mentioned.
The group additionally demanded an unbiased probe into the allegations.
The specialists included Reem Alsalem, the U.N.’s particular rapporteur on violence in opposition to girls and women, its causes and penalties; Francesca Albanese, particular rapporteur on the scenario of human rights within the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967; and members of the U.N.’s working group on discrimination in opposition to girls and women.
Israel’s mission to the United Nations rejected the claims put ahead by the group in a press release on Monday, claiming the specialists had failed to point out related concern about claims of sexual violence by Hamas militants who invaded Israel on Oct. 7, killing some 1,200 individuals.
“It’s clear that the co-signatories are motivated not by the reality however by their hatred for Israel and its individuals,” Israel’s assertion mentioned. “The State of Israel will proceed to abide by its obligations beneath worldwide legislation.”
The discharge warns that the allegations may represent “grave violations of worldwide human rights and humanitarian legislation” and end in prison prosecutions for the perpetrators.
“These accountable for these obvious crimes have to be held accountable and victims and their households are entitled to full redress and justice,” the specialists added.
U.N. our bodies have alleged abuses in opposition to Palestinians by the hands of the Israeli army for many years, together with claims of executions because the onset of the Israel-Hamas conflict in October. In December, a U.N. physique demanded the Israeli authorities examine allegations of a mass execution of 11 unarmed Palestinians in Gaza.
Whereas the Biden administration continues to help Israel’s conflict on Hamas, it’s urging the Israeli army to evacuate civilians from Rafah earlier than any invasion of the world, which is quickly house to greater than 1,000,000 displaced Palestinians.
Greater than 29,000 Palestinians have been killed within the battle since October, in keeping with the Gaza Well being Ministry, and practically everything of Gaza’s 2.3 million inhabitants has been displaced from their properties and faces meals shortages, the U.N. mentioned.
A U.S. proposal within the U.N. Safety Council on Monday inspired a short-term humanitarian cease-fire within the battle to assist assist attain civilians, and for Hamas to free remaining hostages; the group remains to be holding about 100 hostages out of some 240 captured in the course of the October terrorist assault on Israel.
Israeli leaders have resisted requires a cease-fire with out the return of hostages, and talks in Cairo final week broke down. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has mentioned an invasion of Gaza is totally essential to the nation’s goals of wiping out Hamas.
The Worldwide Courtroom of Justice (ICJ), a U.N. physique, mentioned Friday that an Israeli invasion of Rafah would “‘exponentially enhance’ what’s already a humanitarian nightmare,” however declined to order Israel to not advance. The courtroom is already investigating allegations that the Israeli army is committing a genocide of Palestinians in Gaza, a swimsuit introduced by South Africa final month.
The Hill has reached out to the Israeli Embassy in Washington for remark.
