Image Source : REUTERS A view of southern Israel after the October 7 assaults by Hamas
New York: A workforce of United Nations consultants on Monday mentioned that there have been “reasonable grounds to believe” that Palestinian-based militant group Hamas dedicated sexual violence, together with rape and gangrape, at a number of places in the course of the Oct. 7 assault on Israel. The workforce led by the UN particular envoy for sexual violence in battle, Pramila Patten, visited Israel between January 29 and February 14 to analyse and confirm info on sexual violence.
“Credible circumstantial information, which may be indicative of some forms of sexual violence, including genital mutilation, sexualized torture, or cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, was also gathered,” learn the 24-page UN report. Hamas, which killed 1,200 individuals in Israel and captured 253 hostages, has repeatedly rejected accusations of sexual violence.
Israel’s retaliation in opposition to Hamas within the Gaza Strip has since killed greater than 30,000 Palestinians, well being authorities within the Hamas-run enclave say. The UN workforce mentioned they discovered “clear and convincing information that some hostages taken to Gaza have been subjected to various forms of conflict-related sexual violence” and that “such violence may be ongoing”.
What did the UN say?
Patten’s key advice is to encourage Israel to grant entry to the UN human rights chief and the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Palestinian territories and Israel “to carry out full-fledged investigations into the alleged violations”. She mentioned the workforce was not in a position to meet with any victims of sexual violence regardless of greatest efforts.
While the variety of victims stays unknown, she mentioned, “a small number of those who are undergoing treatment are reportedly experiencing severe mental distress and trauma”. Her workforce members had 33 conferences with Israeli establishments and performed interviews with 34 individuals together with survivors and witnesses of the October 7 assaults.
Across numerous places, she mentioned, the workforce discovered “that several fully naked or partially naked bodies from the waist down were recovered – mostly women – with hands tied and shot multiple times, often in the head”. While that is circumstantial, she mentioned the sample of undressing and restraining victims “may be indicative of some forms of sexual violence.”
At the Nova music competition and its environment, Patten mentioned, “There are cheap grounds to imagine that a number of incidents of sexual violence passed off with victims being subjected to rape and/or gangrape after which killed or killed whereas being raped”. However, at Kibbutz Be’eri, Patten’s workforce decided that two allegations of sexual violence broadly repeated within the media have been unfounded, together with an allegation {that a} pregnant girl’s womb was ripped open earlier than being killed.
Patten mentioned additional investigation is required of allegations, together with of our bodies discovered bare and in a single case gagged, at kibbutz Be’eri to find out if sexual violence occurred. She asserted that “the true prevalence of sexual violence during the Oct. 7 attacks and their aftermath may take months or years to emerge and may never be fully known.”
Sexual violence in opposition to Palestinians
The UN workforce mentioned it additionally obtained info from institutional and civil society sources and direct interviews, about “sexual violence against Palestinian men and women in detention settings, during house raids and at checkpoints” after October 7. The detention facilities have been in Israel.
Phillipe Lazzarini, the top of the UN company for Palestinian refugees on Monday mentioned lots of of Palestinians detained by Israel after the October 7 assaults have reported a broad vary of ill-treatment from having footage taken of them bare to being threatened with electrocution. He mentioned some had been detained for a few weeks, some for a number of months.
The UN workforce mentioned it raised the allegations with the Israeli Ministry of Justice and Military Advocate General, which mentioned no complaints of sexual violence in opposition to members of the Israeli Defense Forces had been obtained. Israel has been important of the UN response to the October 7 assaults.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres mentioned late final yr that sexual violence dedicated on Oct. 7 “must be vigorously investigated and prosecuted,” stressing that “gender-based violence must be condemned” all over the place. “The UN claims to care about women, yet as we speak right now Israeli women are being raped and abused by Hamas terrorists. Where is the UN’s voice? Where is your voice?” Israel’s UN Ambassador Gilad Erdan instructed the 193-member UN General Assembly earlier on Monday.
(with inputs from businesses)
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Source: www.indiatvnews.com
