Palestinian detainees subjected to ‘sexual violence’ by Israeli army: UNRWA

A report from the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) on the treatment of Palestinian detainees finds that in “most” reported incidents, the Israeli army forced males, both men and boys, to “strip down” to their underwear.

“Both men and women reported threats and incidents that may amount to sexual violence and harassment by the [Israeli army] while in detention. Male victims reported beatings to their genitals while one detainee reported being made to sit on an electrical probe,” the report said.

The report added that female detainees had also described “psychological abuse”.

“They asked the soldiers to spit on me, saying, ‘She is a b****. She is from Gaza.’ They were beating us as we moved and saying they would put pepper on our sensitive parts [genitals],” a 34-year-old female detainee told UNRWA.