Experts from the United Nations released a joint statement Monday condemning what they described as systemic violence against Palestinians in Gaza, mostly against women and children.
The statement, co-written by seven human rights professionals, also said that 390 bodies have been discovered in mass graves near the Al Shifa and Nasser hospitals.
“We are horrified at details emerging from mass graves recently unearthed in the Gaza Strip,” the statement reads. It adds that many of the bodies reportedly show “signs of torture and summary executions, and potential instances of people buried alive.”
The statement notes that of the 34,488 Palestinians killed since the start of the war seven months ago, 14,500 have been children and 9,500 women. Israel disputes the number of dead as it is compiled by local health authorities run by Gaza’s Hamas-controlled government.
The statement says reports continue of sexual assault and violence against women and girls detained by Israeli forces, but provides no further details. It cites U.N. reports that “a number of” women and girls have been “forcefully disappeared” since the start of the war.
The authors also say miscarriages have increased; that 17,000 children have been orphaned since the start of the war; and that Israeli forces have destroyed Gaza’s largest fertility clinic, which is reported to have been storing 3,000 embryos.
“Israel must cease all hostilities and States must end the export of all weapons immediately. These States can no longer ignore the fact that the weapons are being used to kill and maim innocent women and children. There can be no more excuses,” the statement concludes.
Israel’s foreign press department didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
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