UN Probe Alleges Israeli Forces Using Sexual Violence as ‘Method of War’ Against Palestinians
A UN Human Rights Council investigation alleges that Israeli security forces have increasingly used sexual and gender-based violence against Palestinians, including children, as a “method of war” since October 7, 2023. The Commission of Inquiry claims these acts aim to destabilize and oppress Palestinians. Reports detail forced public stripping, sexual harassment, and rape, allegedly encouraged by Israeli leadership. The destruction of Gaza’s largest fertility clinic and other reproductive healthcare facilities is cited as a deliberate attack on Palestinian reproductive rights.
The Commission links these actions to genocidal acts under international law. Israel has denied the accusations, calling them politically motivated and unfounded. The report is based on public hearings with victims, medical personnel, and experts. Investigators say Israel has not provided information on any prosecutions of its security forces for such crimes. The findings highlight widespread human rights violations in Gaza. The report calls for accountability and further investigation.
UN Probe Alleges Israeli Forces Using Sexual Violence as ‘Method of War’ Against Palestinians
Human rights experts affiliated with the UN Human Rights Council have accused Israeli security forces of systematically employing sexual and gender-based violence against Palestinians, including minors, as a tactical strategy in warfare following the October 7, 2023, attacks that escalated the Gaza conflict.
Chris Sidoti, a member of the UN Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, emphasized that these alleged actions aim to weaken Palestinian aspirations for self-determination.
Claims of Coordinated Abuse
During hearings in Geneva, Sidoti asserted that the scale and brutality of these incidents suggest they are being used as mechanisms to instill fear, control, and suppress Palestinian communities. The Commission, active since 2021, investigates breaches of international law in Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem and Israel.
The findings are based on testimonies from victims, healthcare workers, activists, and legal specialists during public sessions in March 2024. The report notes Israel’s lack of response regarding legal actions against security personnel or settlers implicated in sexual violence cases since October 2023.
Alleged Routine Use of Degradation Tactics
The inquiry describes forced public nudity, sexual humiliation, and rape threats as widespread practices against Palestinian detainees. It further accuses senior Israeli officials and military leaders of either directly sanctioning or tacitly permitting severe abuses, such as rape and genital mutilation.
Witnesses recounted instances where Palestinian males, including adolescents, were compelled to strip to their underwear and endure prolonged exposure to harsh conditions.
Targeting Healthcare Infrastructure
The Commission also documented intentional strikes on Gaza’s reproductive health facilities. In December 2023, Al Basma Center, Gaza’s primary fertility clinic, was allegedly shelled by Israeli tanks, destroying 4,000 embryos and depriving thousands of patients of critical care.
Sidoti noted that while frontline soldiers might not have been aware of the clinic’s purpose, higher-ranking officers likely possessed this knowledge.
The report classifies these acts as potential breaches of the Rome Statute and the Genocide Convention, citing measures intended to inflict conditions threatening Palestinian survival and obstruct population growth.
Israel’s Rejection of Charges
Israel’s delegation in Geneva vehemently denied the allegations, labeling them baseless and politically biased. Officials criticized the Commission for exploiting sexual violence claims to advance a partisan narrative, arguing that this undermines global initiatives to combat wartime sexual crimes.
The response reiterated Israel’s commitment to international law and dismissed the report as a distortion of facts aimed at delegitimizing the state, arguing that such allegations undermine its sovereignty, security efforts, and broader regional stability while fueling misinformation. Israeli officials maintained that the Commission’s findings lacked credible evidence and ignored the atrocities committed by Hamas, further asserting that the report’s conclusions were politically motivated and intended to damage Israel’s global standing.
