UN Commission Investigates Sexual Violence by Hamas

The head of the United Nations commission investigating war crimes on both sides of the Israel-Hamas conflict stated on Wednesday, December 8, that the commission will focus on acts of sexual violence by Hamas during the attacks on Israel on October 7. Navi Pillay mentioned that she is about to submit a request for evidence, which will be provided to the International Criminal Court, calling for these matters to be addressed. These remarks come as Israel and families of Israeli hostages criticized the UN's silence in recent weeks. Pillay, who heads the three-member commission investigating violations in Israel and the Palestinian territories, said, "I am now the head of a commission that has the power to investigate this matter. Therefore, there is no way we will not do this." She added that some individuals are eager to testify, and this evidence will be submitted to the prosecutor. However, one of Pillay's significant challenges is Israel's lack of cooperation with the commission, which the country claims has an "anti-Israel" bias. Without Israel's cooperation, the commission may face difficulties in gathering sufficient evidence to bring charges in court. Hamas denies the allegations of sexual violence, and Reuters was unable to reach a spokesperson for the Palestinian organization for comment. The Israeli diplomatic mission in Geneva stated on Thursday that the commission has previously shown "biased prejudices against Israel." In a statement to Reuters, the mission said that since the establishment of the commission in 2021, Israel has explicitly stated that it will not cooperate with this "discriminatory body and its commissioners." It further stated that "Israeli victims will never witness justice from the commission of inquiry." Israeli officials began their separate investigations into acts of sexual violence during the deadliest attack on Israel in the country's history before this commission was announced. They encountered evidence of sexual crimes, including rape, and found victims who were naked or mutilated. Evidence regarding sexual violence includes testimonies collected after Hamas's October 7 attack by Israeli forces who initially entered these areas, as well as military reserve forces involved in the identification of bodies. The news agency has seen images that corroborate claims of sexual violence. The UN commission of inquiry, established in 2021 by the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, consists of three independent experts. Their task is to collect evidence and identify perpetrators of international crimes. In some cases, the evidence collected by these UN bodies serves as a basis for prosecuting war crimes and can be reviewed by the International Criminal Court. Navi Pillay, while referring to the investigation into Hamas's acts of sexual violence, also criticized Israel's bombing of Gaza and the heavy human toll in Palestinian areas.