United Nations consultants are expressing alarm over stories of alleged human rights violations in Gaza and the West Financial institution.
UN consultants have expressed alarm over allegations of human rights violations towards Palestinian ladies and ladies in Gaza and the occupied West Financial institution since Israel launched its battle on Gaza on October 7.
The UN Workplace of the Excessive Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) stated in a press release on Monday that it had acquired info that Palestinian ladies and ladies have “reportedly been arbitrarily executed in Gaza, usually along with members of the family, together with their youngsters”.
The UN consultants stated they had been “shocked by stories of the deliberate focusing on and extrajudicial killing of Palestinian ladies and youngsters in locations the place they sought refuge, or whereas fleeing. A few of them had been reportedly holding white items of material after they had been killed by the Israeli military or affiliated forces.”
Israel launched an assault on Gaza after the Palestinian group Hamas led an assault on Israel on October 7, killing a minimum of 1,139 folks, in line with an Al Jazeera tally primarily based on official Israeli figures. Round 250 others had been seized and brought to Gaza as hostages.
Israel has responded with a devastating bombardment and floor invasion that has displaced greater than 80 p.c of Gaza’s inhabitants and diminished a lot of the territory to ruins. Greater than 29,000 folks have been killed within the Israeli assault, in line with Palestinian authorities.
Within the occupied West Financial institution and east Jerusalem, Israeli forces have intensified raids since October 7, killing tons of of Palestinians and detaining hundreds of others.
The UN consultants expressed alarm over the arbitrary detention of tons of of Palestinian ladies and ladies together with human rights defenders, journalists and humanitarian employees in Gaza and the West Financial institution.
Many have reportedly been subjected to inhuman therapy, denied menstrual pads, meals and medication and likewise struggling extreme beatings, the OHCHR stated. On a minimum of one event, Palestinian ladies detained in Gaza had been allegedly saved in a cage within the rain and chilly, with out meals.
“We’re notably distressed by stories that Palestinian ladies and ladies in detention have additionally been subjected to a number of types of sexual assault, reminiscent of being stripped bare and searched by male Israeli military officers. At the very least two feminine Palestinian detainees had been reportedly raped whereas others had been reportedly threatened with rape and sexual violence,” the consultants stated.
They famous that images of feminine detainees in degrading circumstances had been additionally reportedly taken by the Israeli military and uploaded on-line.
An unknown variety of Palestinian ladies and youngsters, together with ladies, have reportedly gone lacking after contact with the Israeli military in Gaza, the consultants stated.
“There are disturbing stories of a minimum of one feminine toddler forcibly transferred by the Israeli military into Israel, and of kids being separated from their dad and mom, whose whereabouts stay unknown,” they stated.
They known as for an impartial, neutral and efficient investigation into the allegations and for Israel to cooperate.
“Taken collectively, these alleged acts might represent grave violations of worldwide human rights and humanitarian regulation, and quantity to severe crimes underneath worldwide prison regulation that could possibly be prosecuted underneath the Rome Statute,” the consultants stated.
“These chargeable for these obvious crimes have to be held accountable and victims and their households are entitled to full redress and justice.”
