U.N. calls for probe into Israeli soldiers forcing Palestinian women to undress

Act of humiliation has sparked outrage among Palestinian groups, who are demanding that those responsible be held accountable

GENEVA – The U.N. has called for an investigation into the disturbing incident in which Israeli soldiers forced five Palestinian women to strip naked during a raid on an apartment building.

The incident occurred in July in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron during an early morning raid on the home of the Palestinian Ajluni family.

This act of humiliation has sparked outrage among Palestinian groups, who are demanding that those responsible be held accountable.

According to reports, the masked soldiers took the women into a room and forced them to strip naked.

The soldiers threatened to unleash attack dogs on the women if they resisted, and even released the dogs near them in an attempt to get them to comply.

Female family members subjected to the ordeal included a 53-year-old woman, Ifaf, her 17-year-old daughter Zeinab, and her daughters-in-law Amal, Diala, and Rawan, who are in their twenties.

Although they had already removed most of their outer clothing, they were forced to strip completely naked.

The soldiers also used their guns to intimidate the women and prevent male family members from intervening.

In addition, the eldest son of the family, Harbi, was arrested during the incident.

The Israeli military stated that it conducted the raid based on intelligence information and referred to the discovery of a weapon and ammunition in the house.

Forced disrobing and the use of attack dogs to intimidate Palestinians are used by Israeli occupation forces as a means of humiliation.

Such incidents have increased in the West Bank over the past year, further traumatizing and causing suffering among Palestinian communities.