GENEVA (AP) — Palestinians shared accounts of alleged mistreatment by Israeli forces and settlers with independent U.N.-backed human rights investigators on Tuesday during hearings on the treatment of detainees in Gaza during the war. The Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, led by former U.N. human rights chief Navi Pillay, was established by the U.N.-backed Human Rights Council. The findings from the hearings could serve as evidence for the International Criminal Court or other bodies seeking to prosecute war crimes and rights violations related to the conflict.
Israel has chosen not to cooperate with the commission, claiming bias against Israel by the commission and the council. Israel withdrew from the council shortly after the U.S. announced a pullout, maintaining that it does not mistreat Palestinian detainees and takes action against any wrongdoing. Allegations of abuse at the Sde Teiman military detention facility have been made by rights groups.
The first witness, a male nurse from Gaza, described being mistreated while in custody, including being beaten, hung up, and attacked by dogs. Another witness reported losing significant weight while detained in Israeli facilities. The accounts given during the hearings have not been independently verified.
The commission’s hearings are ongoing, and a report on Israel’s alleged use of sexual and other gender-based violence is expected to be released soon. Israeli authorities have accused Hamas-led militants of committing widespread rape and sexual violence. The commission has faced obstacles in speaking directly with Israeli victims due to lack of cooperation from the Israeli government.
There has been an increase in violence against Palestinians since the attacks on October 7. The commission was established in May 2021 after previous conflicts between Hamas and Israel. It has conducted hearings on various matters, including the designation of several Palestinian NGOs as terrorist organizations and the death of Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh.
