- A United Nations report accuses Israeli armed forces of committing crimes of “sexual, reproductive and other forms of gender-based violence against Palestinians” in Gaza and the West Bank since the war against Hamas began in 2023. The U.N. Human Rights Council’s findings also accuse Israeli troops of “genocidal acts” during the conflict.
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded to the report in a statement, refuting the findings and calling the council an “antisemitic, rotten, terrorist-supporting and irrelevant body.”
- The report comes more than a year after a U.N. official with expertise in sexual violence published a document accusing Hamas of similar crimes.
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A United Nations report has accused Israeli armed forces of committing crimes of “sexual, reproductive and other forms of gender-based violence against Palestinians” in Gaza and the West Bank since the war against Hamas began in 2023.
What does the report say?
The U.N. Human Rights Council’s findings also accuse Israeli troops of “genocidal acts” during the conflict. The agency cited what it deems the systematic destruction of sexual and reproductive health care facilities, including maternity wards and Gaza’s main in vitro fertility center, with tank shelling and destroying some 4,000 embryos.
How is Israel responding?
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded to the report in a statement, refuting the findings and calling the council an “antisemitic, rotten, terrorist-supporting and irrelevant body.”
The statement read in part, “The U.N. is once again choosing to attack the state of Israel with false accusations, including unfounded accusations of sexual violence.”
What about Hamas?
The report comes more than a year after a U.N. official with expertise in sexual violence published a document accusing Hamas of similar crimes. It noted that there is “reasonable ground to believe” rape and gang rapes occurred during the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terror attack.
That report from the U.N. special envoy also found reason to suspect sexual abuse of Israeli hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza was “ongoing.” Hamas denied the findings.
Who are the accusations coming from?
The U.N. council’s findings released on Thursday, March 13, cover accusations from women, girls, boys and men, who said they were subjected to forced public stripping and nudity, rape, threats of rape and other forms of sexual abuse.
The U.N. commission said these acts appear to be “standard operating procedures directed toward Palestinians” and done “under explicit orders or implicit encouragement by Israel’s top civilian and military leadership.”
What is the bigger picture?
The report was published following two days of public hearings in Geneva, which included testimony from those who said they were victims of the crimes, witnesses, medical staff and legal and scholarly experts.
