The United Nations-appointed human rights specialists have raised serious allegations against Israel, accusing the country of engaging in “systematic use of sexual, reproductive, and other gender-based violence” during its ongoing conflict with Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
These accusations are part of one of the most comprehensive reports on the matter since the conflict erupted on October 7, 2023, following Hamas’ assault on southern Israel. In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized the Human Rights Council, which organized the team of experts, describing it as an “anti-Israel circus” and denouncing it as biased and supportive of terrorism. However, Netanyahu did not address the specific findings of the report.
The Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory compiled the report in an attempt to document in meticulous detail the various allegations and pieces of evidence of human rights violations. This documentation is intended to hold perpetrators accountable, potentially serving as evidence in proceedings at the International Criminal Court or other legal jurisdictions to achieve justice for victims and their families.
The report, made public on Thursday, delved into numerous incidents, including the widespread destruction in Gaza, the deployment of heavy explosives in civilian regions, and assaults on hospitals and healthcare facilities by Israeli forces. The document highlighted these actions as leading to “disproportionate violence against women and children.”
The commission’s findings indicated a variety of violations, including accusations of rape and sexual violence against Palestinian prisoners by Israeli security forces. The Israeli government, however, has consistently denied any systematic abuse, asserting that it enforces corrective measures when violations are discovered.
Chris Sidoti, a member of the commission, stated that the investigation revealed Israel has increasingly utilized gender-based violence against Palestinians as part of an effort to undermine Palestinian self-determination rights.
Israel’s diplomatic mission in Geneva dismissed these accusations, charging the commission with relying on “second-hand, single, uncorroborated sources.” Since the commission’s establishment in 2021, Israel has refused to cooperate, alleging bias from both the investigative team and the Human Rights Council.
In an important note, the commission detailed how Israeli actions reportedly involved the systematic destruction of sexual and reproductive healthcare facilities, which it termed as genocidal acts. Yet, it stopped short of formally charging Israel with genocide—an accusation the country strongly denies, particularly given its history stemming from the Holocaust and the presence of Holocaust survivors.
Israel maintains that it has taken extraordinary steps to prevent civilian casualties throughout the conflict, which is currently in a tenuous ceasefire. The Israeli forces attribute civilian deaths and infrastructure damage to Hamas’ tactics of operating within residential areas. Israeli military actions have also included raids on hospitals, which they claim Hamas uses for military operations—a claim the Palestinian health officials dispute.
The war ignited when militants associated with Hamas attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in around 1,200 Israeli deaths, primarily civilians, and the capture of 251 hostages. Israel has since accused the militants of comprehensive sexual violence, while former hostages reportedly endured significant physical and sexual abuse, according to Israeli experts.
Last year, a U.N. envoy reported “reasonable grounds” backing claims of such violations. However, Israel’s counterattacks have reportedly killed over 48,000 Palestinians, predominantly women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, although it does not specify the number of combatants among the deceased.
Earlier this week, the commission conducted public hearings involving victims, legal representatives, and advocacy groups whose testimonies are part of the report. Notably, the commission’s current investigations do not address allegations concerning violence against Israelis during the October 7 attacks or hostages in Gaza, although this topic was addressed in previous reports.
