Algeria calls for an investigation into “Israeli sexual assaults” against Palestinian women

United Nations: Algeria called, on Tuesday, for an investigation into “Israeli sexual assaults” in the Palestinian territories, and renewed the call to “urgently” impose a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip to “put an end to the atrocities.”

Algeria's representative to the United Nations, Ammar Benjameh, stressed the need to conduct “in-depth investigations into sexual assaults committed by the occupation forces” in the Palestinian territories, according to a statement reported by the official Algerian News Agency.

He added: “I would like to emphasize the principled position of my country, Algeria, which states that no person, whether man or woman, regardless of his religion or origin, should bear the horrors of sexual assaults in the occupied Palestinian territories.”

He added that he hopes that the Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Pramila Patten , on sexual violence in conflict will obtain “a license to visit several (Israeli) detention centers, where the rights of Palestinians are violated, and more than 3,484 administrative detainees are held there without trial.”

“In addition, her presence in the Gaza Strip would have allowed her to observe for herself the extent of the sexual assaults to which Palestinians are subjected by the occupation forces and to convey them to the international community,” the Algerian delegate added.

He went on to say, “Palestinian women have suffered for decades from the impact of sustained aggression, facing discrimination and untold violence on several fronts. The Palestinian population, especially women, have been subjected to many attacks that violate the essence of their humanity and dignity.”

He expressed his regret “that this critical situation is not a recent phenomenon, but rather continued throughout the occupation and was exacerbated by the policy of collective punishment.”

Speaking about Gaza, he said, “About one million forcibly displaced people are women, that is, half of the total forcibly displaced Palestinians. Palestinian human rights organizations indicate an intensification of arrest operations carried out by the Zionist occupation, which particularly affects women.”

He added that “cases have been reported in which Palestinian women in Gaza were detained in a cage in the rain and cold, without food.”

He stressed that “what the Palestinians, especially women, are experiencing is a real test of the credibility of international law,” and called for “an end to these atrocities, which requires urgent imposition of a ceasefire, because there is no other alternative.”

Condemning, he said: “(Israeli) officials often remain protected from punishment. Since 2001, despite the filing of 1,400 complaints by Palestinians about acts of torture, only three criminal investigations have been opened.” Surprisingly, there was no investigation that led to an indictment.”

A few days ago, Palestinian Fatima Tamboura from northern Gaza City, who was released from Israeli prisons, revealed the attacks committed by the Israeli army against her while she was detained without charge.

Fatima recounted the details of her arrest and exposure to strip searches and physical harassment several times during her detention by the Israeli army.

She said: “The jailers forced me to completely remove my underwear in front of the soldiers, even though I was going through my menstrual period. They forcibly removed my hijab, examined me through an electronic device in an abusive manner, and placed it in sensitive areas of my body.”