GENEVA (AP) — During hearings on the treatment of detainees in Gaza, Palestinians detailed reported abuses by Israeli forces and settlers to independent U.N.-backed human rights investigators on Tuesday. The allegations included being punched in the genitals, held naked for days, and starved. 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. Findings from the commission can be used as evidence for the International Criminal Court and other bodies pursuing justice for war crimes and human rights violations.
Israel has declined to cooperate with the commission, accusing it and the council of anti-Israel bias. Israel, which withdrew from the council following the U.S. pullout announcement by President Donald Trump, has consistently denied mistreatment of Palestinian detainees and proclaimed its commitment to addressing any misconduct. Rights groups have reported widespread abuse at the military detention facility in Sde Teiman.
A male nurse from Gaza, testifying via video, described being locked up, hung like a punching bag, and subjected to physical violence, including beatings to the genitals until they bled. Another detainee recounted being held for days naked after being forced to strip upon detention. Allegations of abuses at Gaza’s main hospital, Shifa, were also raised during the hearings.
Witnesses shared harrowing experiences, including torture and severe weight loss during their custody. The Israeli diplomatic mission in Geneva did not immediately respond to requests for comments on the testimonies.
The commission is investigating reported abuses during the war in Gaza, focusing on the treatment of detainees. The hearings are ongoing, and a report on Israel’s alleged systematic use of violence is expected to be issued soon.
The commission was established in May 2021 in response to the escalating violence against Palestinians after the Oct. 7 attacks. Prior to this, the commission had conducted hearings on various topics, including the designation of certain Palestinian NGOs as terrorist organizations and the tragic death of Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh.
