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Human rights lawyer Chris Sidoti has reported that Israel has increasingly utilized sexual and reproductive violence as part of a strategy aimed at undermining the self-determination of Palestinians. This assertion comes from the findings of the Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT).
‘Increasingly used’
At an event in Geneva, Sidoti conveyed that the rising frequency, severity, and prevalence of sexual and gender-based crimes in the OPT led the Commission to the conclusion that Israel employs such violence as a warfare tactic. He emphasized that these actions are aimed at destabilizing and oppressing the Palestinian population.
The Commission was established by the UN Human Rights Council in May 2021 with the goal of investigating and reporting on potential breaches of international law in the OPT, including East Jerusalem and parts of Israel.
Terror attacks in Israel
Reports from previous investigations detail the terror attacks executed by Hamas-led Palestinian fighters on Israeli communities on October 7 and 8, which resulted in the loss of approximately 1,250 lives and over 250 individuals being taken hostage back to Gaza.
The latest report from the Commission followed public hearings held in Geneva on March 11 and 12, during which survivors, witnesses of sexual and reproductive violence, medical personnel, and various experts provided testimonies.
Sidoti noted that the Commission had reached out to Israeli officials for information regarding serious instances of sexual and gender-based violence against Palestinian detainees but had not received any updates regarding prosecutions linked to these allegations since October 2023.
Explicit orders and ‘implicit encouragement’
In their statement, the Commission highlighted that actions such as public stripping, sexual harassment with threats of rape, and assault represent a “standard operating procedure” among Israeli Security Forces towards Palestinians.
Furthermore, the report claimed that more severe acts of sexual violence, including rape, were either ordered directly or tacitly sanctioned by senior civilian and military officials within Israel. Sidoti remarked on the distressing testimonies presented during the hearings, where men and boys experienced forced undress and were held in degrading conditions for extended periods.
Embryos destroyed
The report indicates that Israeli forces have systematically targeted and destroyed vital sexual and reproductive health facilities in Gaza. Notably, the Al Basma fertility center, which catered to thousands of patients monthly, was devastated by tank shelling in December 2023, resulting in the loss of around 4,000 embryos.
Sidoti raised questions concerning the intent of those responsible for the destruction, suggesting that while the crew may not have directly known the facility’s function, their commanders were certainly aware of the presence of tanks and their operations within the area.
The Commission’s findings categorize this destruction as actions potentially amounting to genocidal acts, as defined by both the Rome Statute and the Genocide Convention. These include inflicting conditions aimed at the physical destruction of the Palestinian population and implementing measures that significantly hinder birth rates.
Navi Pillay, the head of the Commission, highlighted that direct assaults on reproductive healthcare facilities have culminated in significant physical and mental trauma for women and girls, leading to severe long-term impacts on community health and fertility.
Israel ‘categorically rejects’ allegations
The Israeli mission in Geneva issued a statement on Wednesday, firmly rejecting the allegations detailed in the Commission’s report. The Israeli government claimed that the COI has manipulated the issue of sexual violence to push forward a biased political agenda, arguing that this undermines the vital efforts of international organizations in combating such egregious acts as instruments of warfare.
Source
news.un.org