In a recent United Nations investigation, it was concluded that Israel had carried out “genocidal” acts in Gaza through the systematic destruction of sexual and reproductive healthcare facilities. The UN Commission of Inquiry found that Israel had intentionally attacked and destroyed the main fertility center in Gaza, while also imposing a siege and blocking aid essential for safe pregnancies, deliveries, and neonatal care.
Israel has vehemently denied these allegations, stating that they are unfounded. However, the commission stated that Israeli authorities had destroyed the reproductive capacity of Palestinians in Gaza as a group through the systematic destruction of sexual and reproductive healthcare. This was deemed to be “two categories of genocidal acts” during Israel’s offensive in Gaza, following attacks by Hamas militants in October 2023.
The commission’s findings align with the United Nations’ genocide convention, which defines genocide as acts committed with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group. The inquiry highlighted two categories of genocidal acts by Israel, including deliberately inflicting conditions of life intended to bring about physical destruction and imposing measures to prevent births within the group.
The chair of the commission, Navi Pillay, emphasized the severe physical and mental harm caused to women and girls in Gaza, as well as the long-term effects on their mental health and reproductive prospects. The commission was established by the UN Human Rights Council in 2021 to investigate alleged international law violations in Israel and the Palestinian territories.
Israel has criticized the commission for advancing a biased political agenda and attempting to incriminate the Israel Defence Forces. The report detailed the systematic destruction of maternity hospitals and wards in Gaza, including the Al-Basma IVF Centre, the main in-vitro fertility clinic in the territory. The clinic was shelled in December 2023, destroying thousands of embryos and serving thousands of patients each month.
The commission found that the Israeli Security Forces intentionally attacked and destroyed the clinic, with no credible evidence that it was used for military purposes. The destruction was deemed a measure intended to prevent births among Palestinians in Gaza, constituting a genocidal act. The report highlighted the unprecedented harm to pregnant, lactating, and new mothers in Gaza, with irreversible impacts on their reproductive prospects.
Additionally, the commission concluded that Israel had targeted civilian women and girls directly, committing acts that constitute crimes against humanity and war crimes. The report also highlighted instances of forced public stripping, nudity, sexual harassment, threats of rape, and sexual assault as part of the Israeli Security Forces’ treatment of Palestinians.
The commission’s findings shed light on the dire situation in Gaza and the impact of Israel’s actions on the reproductive health and rights of Palestinians. It serves as a call to action for the international community to address these violations and ensure accountability for the human rights abuses in the region.
