The United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) on Tuesday voiced deep concern over a report by UN experts that accused the Israeli Forces of committing serious violations against Palestinian women and girls, including crimes of execution and sexual assault.
“UN experts are appalled by reported human rights violations against Palestinian women and girls by Israeli Forces officers,” UNFPA said in a statement on X, as it shared the UN experts’ reports on the violations against Palestinian women, including executions, sexual assault, and degrading treatments.
“Perpetrators of these crimes must be prosecuted,” the UN agency also urged. “Women and girls are not a target,” it noted.
Earlier Monday, a group of UN experts expressed alarm over “credible allegations” of egregious human rights violations that Palestinian women and girls continue to face in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
“Palestinian women and girls have reportedly been arbitrarily executed in Gaza, often together with family members, including their children, according to information received.
The experts were shocked by reports of the deliberate targeting and extrajudicial killing of Palestinian women and children in places where they sought refuge or while fleeing.
“On at least one occasion, Palestinian women detained in Gaza were allegedly kept in a cage in the rain and cold, without food,” said the 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.”
The experts said that at least two female Palestinian detainees were reportedly raped, while others were allegedly threatened with rape and sexual violence.
Since October 7, the Israeli occupation forces has waged a devastating war on the Gaza Strip, which has left an enormous humanitarian catastrophe and a major health and environmental disaster.
The Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip constitutes a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and human rights, as it exposes the civilians’ lives to extreme danger and causes them great suffering, which requires urgent and decisive international intervention to stop the aggression and protect civilians in the Gaza Strip.
