Palestinian women and girls in Israeli detention have reportedly been subject to sexual violence by Israeli soldiers, according to a statement from a group of United Nations experts.
“We are particularly distressed by reports that Palestinian women and girls in detention have also been subjected to multiple forms of sexual assault, such as being stripped naked and searched by male Israeli army officers. At least two female Palestinian detainees were reportedly raped while others were reportedly threatened with rape and sexual violence,” the experts said in a February 19 press release.
The aforementioned experts include Reem Alsalem, Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, its causes and consequences; Francesca Albanese, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967; and members of the Working group on discrimination against women and girls: Dorothy Estrada Tanck (Chair), Claudia Flores, Ivana Krstić, Haina Lu, and Laura Nyirinkindi.
The experts also note the distressing fact that photos of Israeli soldiers sexually assaulting Palestinian women and girls were taken by the army and uploaded online.
“Taken together, these alleged acts may constitute grave violations of international human rights and humanitarian law, and amount to serious crimes under international criminal law that could be prosecuted under the Rome Statute,” said the experts.
The experts also expressed concern regarding the arbitrary detention of hundreds of Palestinian women and girls by Israel and their conditions while detained. “Many have reportedly been subjected to inhuman and degrading treatment, denied menstruation pads, food and medicine, and severely beaten. On at least one occasion, Palestinian women detained in Gaza were allegedly kept in a cage in the rain and cold, without food,” reads the press release.
At the same time, accusations against Palestinian resistance group, Hamas, for alleged rape and sexual assault of Israeli women and girls on October 7 have been heavily covered by western media outlets, despite the claims having little evidence to back them up.
