This week, Palestinians at the United Nations hearings recounted horrendous accounts of abuse by Israeli forces and settlers during the war, talking about sexual and physical violence in detention and conflict zones. This was reported by Abdel Fattah, a 28-year-old nurse who was detained near Gaza’s Al Shifa Hospital in late 2023, who had testified for the hearing through video link said that he endured months of beatings, threats of sexual violence, and was stripped naked in cold conditions. He described how interrogators specifically targeted his genitals, leaving him bleeding and both mentally and physically traumatized.
Mohamed Matar, who lives in the West Bank, described an incident in October 2023 where he was attacked by settlers and Israeli forces. He reported being stripped, urinated on, forced to eat animal feces, and subjected to attempted anal penetration with a stick over a 12 hour period. Matar shared photos that showed him bruised and blindfolded, showing evidence of his torture.
The Israeli ambassador to the UN, Daniel Meron, said that the hearings were “a waste of time,” saying that Israel allegedly investigates misconduct and prosecutes those responsible. On the other hand, Palestinian lawyer Sahar Francis argued that the abuse in war zones and detention areas has become systemic, saying that there was widespread use of strip searches and invasive practices.
The UN Commission of Inquiry (COI), which is conducting these sessions, said that it was important to give victims of abuse a platform to be heard. COI member Chris Sidoti said that the testimonies were needed for achieving accountability. Advocates for human rights, claim there is a recurring pattern of impunity for abuses against Palestinians, while Israel argues that its legal system deals with these violations, which have yet to be seen.