Palestinian Women Are Being "Subjected To Inhuman And Degrading Treatment": UN Experts (image@UN_SPExperts)
UN experts are “appalled” by the “credible allegations of egregious human rights violation” against Palestinian women is Israeli prison. United Nations Human Rights Office Of The High Commissioner said Palestinian women and girls were deliberately executed and subjected to humiliation and sexual assault by the Israeli military. The degradation and inhumane treatment of the Palestinian women and girls constitutes to grave violations of the international human rights and humanitarian law, which could be “prosecuted under the Rome Statute”.
Press release from the High Commissioner office said Palestinian women and girls have been arbitrarily executed in Gaza, often with their family members including children. The press release quoted UN experts as saying that they are shocked by the reports of “deliberate targeting and extrajudicial killing of Palestinian women and children in places where they sought refuge, or while fleeing. Some of them were reportedly holding white pieces of cloth when they were killed by the Israeli army or affiliated forces”.
The press release also revealed shocking reports of inhumane assault and humiliation practiced on the women of Gaza and West Bank. It said hundreds of Palestinian women were arrested from Gaz and West Bank, including Human Rights workers and journalists.
UN said the women were subjected to inhumane and degrading treatment which include, denial of menstrual pad, food, and medicine, severe beating. It said on at least one occasion, women of Gaza detained by the Israeli occupation force were “allegedly kept in a cage in the rain and cold, without food”.
Un Experts said the detained Palestinian women were subjected to multiple forms of sexual assault, like being striped naked and searched by male Israeli army officers. At least two Palestinian women were reportedly raped, and others were reportedly threatened with rape and sexual violence. The experts also noted that photos of the women detainees in “degrading circumstances” were taken by the Israeli occupation force and uploaded online. They said, unknown number of Palestinian girls and women have reportedly gone missing since October 7th.
Meanwhile, Brazil recalled its ambassador to Israel. Israel said Brazilian President is not welcome in Israel anymore. The diplomatic rift between Brazil’s Luiz Inzcio Lula da Silva and Israel started when the former called Israel’s aggression on Gaza a genocide. Lula compared Israeli military campaign in the besieged Gaza Strip to Holocaust.
Lula said, “what is happening in the Gaza Strip with the Palestinian people hasn’t happened at any other moment in history. Actually, it has happened: when Hitler decided to kill the Jews”.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Lula’s comment as “disgraceful and grave”. Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz announced that the Brazilian President is not welcomed in Israel anymore, until he takes back his comment.
According to statement released by Katz’s office, he told Brazil’s ambassador to Israel, “we will not forget nor forgive. It is a serious anti-Semitic attack. In my name and the name of the citizens of Israel, tell President Lula that he is persona non grata in Israel until he takes it back”.
Responding to the comments, Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it would summon Daniel Zonshine, Israel’s ambassador to Brazil for a meeting in Rio de Janeiro.
Lula also faced backlashes from home. Brazil-Israel institute called his comment “vulgar” and said that it risk “fuelling anti-Semitism”.
