UN agency voices concern over Israeli army’s reported rights violations against Palestinian women

ANKARA (AA) – The United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) has voiced deep concern over a report by UN experts that brought to light the possibility that the Israeli army committed serious violations against Palestinian women and girls, including crimes of sexual assault.

“UN experts appalled by reported human rights violations against Palestinian women and girls by Israeli army 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 on 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.

“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.

They added that at least two female Palestinian detainees were reportedly raped, while others were allegedly threatened with rape and sexual violence.

The experts also called for an independent, impartial, prompt, thorough and effective investigation into the allegations and for Israel to cooperate with such investigations.

Israel is yet to comment on the UN experts’ report.

Israel launched a deadly offensive on the Gaza Strip on October 7. The Israeli bombardment has killed at least 29,092 Palestinians and injured about 69,028, with mass destruction and shortages of necessities.

The Israeli war on Gaza has pushed 85% of the territory’s population into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water, and medicine, while 60% of the enclave’s infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.