Report by UN-backed experts cites crimes by Israeli forces, Palestinian militants starting 0ct. 7
U.N.-backed human rights experts say in a report published Wednesday that Israeli forces and Palestinian militants engaged in sexual and gender-based violence in much of the first three months of the conflict that began on Oct. 7 last year
GENEVA (AP) — U.N.-backed human rights experts say in a report issued Wednesday that Israeli forces and Palestinian militants engaged in sexual and gender-based violence during the first months of the Israel-Hamas war.
The independent experts, in a detailed chronicling of events that have mostly been reported in the media, said Israeli forces and Palestinian militants committed war crimes, while Israel was also said to have committed crimes against humanity.
Israel, which has refused to cooperate with the body and accused it of bias, rejected the allegations.
The report, which covered the time between the Oct. 7 rampage and the end of last year, laid out a wide array of alleged rights violations and crimes by both sides during the conflict. It said Israeli forces had committed acts including forced starvation, murder or willful killing, collective punishment and intentional attacks on civilians, and that the military wings of Hamas and other armed Palestinian groups had performed deliberate killings and mistreatment of civilians and hostage-takings.
