UN experts say they are shocked at “credible” evidence of horrifying human rights abuses by the Israeli army against Palestinian girls and women, including evidence of rape, sexual humiliation, threats of rape as well as other degrading treatments.

In a joint statement, published by the UN Human Rights Office, the experts were particularly distressed that “Palestinian women and girls in detention have been subjected to multiple forms of sexual assault, such as being stripped naked and searched by male Israeli army officers.”

“At least two female Palestinian detainees were reportedly raped while others were reportedly threatened with rape and sexual violence,” the statement said, warning the true numbers of victims could be significantly higher.

The panel of experts further highlighted that the Israeli army has taken photos of female detainees in degrading circumstances and uploaded the images on the internet.

After months of harrowing regional media reports, including victim testimonies, over the Israeli army’s abuse against Palestinian girls and women, especially the sharp spike of incidents in Gaza and the occupied West Bank after October 7 last year, the UN Human Rights Office appointed several senior experts on a fact-finding mission to independently investigate the reports.

According to the evidence received, the joint statement also said Palestinian women and girls have been arbitrarily executed in the Gaza Strip, in many cases, together with family members, including their children.

“We are shocked by reports of the 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.”

Among those appointed by the UN Human Rights Council to investigate the crimes was Reem Alsalem, the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, who said “we might not know for a long time what the actual number of victims are.”

Alsalem noted that in a wave of arrests of Palestinian women and girls after October 7, there was an increasingly tolerated attitude towards sexual assault in Israeli detention centers.

“I would say that, on the whole, violence and dehumanization of Palestinian women and children and civilians has been normalized throughout this war,” Alsalem added.

Among the other experts who were appointed by the UN Human Rights Office to conduct the probe were Francesca Albanese, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, Dorothy Estrada Tanck (Chair), Claudia Flores, Ivana Krstic, Haina Lu, and Laura Nyirinkindi, Working group on discrimination against women and girls.

They also expressed serious concern about the arbitrary detention of hundreds of Palestinian women and girls, including human rights defenders, journalists and humanitarian workers, in Gaza and the occupied West Bank since October 7.

Many have been subjected to inhuman and degrading treatment, “denied menstruation pads, food and medicine, and severely beaten.”

“Palestinian women detained in Gaza were allegedly kept in a cage in the rain and cold, without food.”

According to the statement, this has occurred on more than one occasion.

Whilst human rights organizations backed by regional media reports have been documenting the degrading practices against Palestinian girls and women by the Israeli army for many years now, the number of incidents after October 7 has been shockingly high.

The experts expressed further concern that an unknown number of Palestinian women and children, including girls, have gone missing after contact with the Israeli army in Gaza.

“There are disturbing reports of at least one female infant forcibly transferred by the Israeli army into Israel, and of children being separated from their parents, whose whereabouts remain unknown,” they said.

In its closing remarks, the statement issued a reminder for the regime’s government “of its obligation to uphold the right to life, safety, health, and dignity of Palestinian women and girls and to ensure that no one is subjected to violence, torture, ill-treatment or degrading treatment, including sexual violence.”

Despite calling for an “independent, impartial, prompt, thorough, and effective” investigation into the incidents and for the regime to cooperate with such investigations, analysts say there is little chance that it will do so.

This has been evident by the recent lack of cooperation by the Israeli regime with the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

Tel Aviv has already ignored an ICJ ruling in late January to take preliminary measures that prevent “genocide” in Gaza until the UN’s top court investigates a genocide case brought by South Africa.

Undeterred by the preliminary ruling, the Israeli occupation forces have not complied with any of the provisional measures to date, despite being legally obliged to do so.

In a second ICJ case brought against the Israeli regime this week, Tel Aviv has not even bothered to show up at the tribunal. 

The UN experts warned that the Israeli acts against Palestinian girls and women constitute grave violations of international human rights and humanitarian law. They also amount to serious crimes under international criminal law that could be prosecuted under the Rome Statute.

“Those responsible for these apparent crimes must be held accountable and victims and their families are entitled to full redress and justice,” the statement added.

With this latest damning report, it may not be long before the regime is back in the docks at the ICJ.

“Palestinian women detained in Gaza were allegedly kept in a cage in the rain and cold, without food.”