GENEVA: Palestinians who allege they experienced brutal beatings and sexual abuse while in Israeli detention and at the hands of Israeli settlers provided testimony at the United Nations this week.

Among those who spoke was Said Abdel Fattah, a 28-year-old nurse, who was detained in November 2023 near Al Shifa hospital in Gaza City, where he was employed.

He described his ordeal via video link at a public hearing, stating, 'I was humiliated and tortured.' Fattah recounted his experiences of being stripped naked in cold conditions, subjected to beatings, and threatened with rape over a two-month period across various overcrowded detention facilities.

'I felt like my soul (left) my body,' he stated, describing a particularly harrowing interrogation session in which he was physically assaulted.

The hearings, organized by the UN’s independent Commission of Inquiry (COI) regarding the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, aim to address allegations of 'sexual and reproductive violence' perpetrated by Israeli security forces and settlers.

Chris Sidoti, a member of the COI, emphasized the significance of hearing from victims, stating, 'They are entitled to be heard.' Testimonies provided this week highlighted a perceived trend of systematic sexual violence against Palestinians, particularly since the onset of heightened hostilities following Hamas's attacks on October 7, 2023.

In response, Daniel Meron, Israel’s ambassador to the UN in Geneva, dismissed the hearings as unnecessary, asserting that Israel conducts prompt investigations into any allegations of misconduct involving its military personnel.

He condemned comparisons between alleged actions by individuals in the Israeli military and the sexual violence perpetrated by Hamas against Israeli hostages, labeling such comparisons as 'reprehensible.' Meron further criticized the hearings, declaring that they wasted time and undermined Israel's rule of law and order.

Palestinian lawyer Sahar Francis highlighted a significant lack of accountability regarding the allegations, claiming that abuse has become 'a widespread policy.' She noted that all individuals arrested from Gaza underwent strip searches, with reports of extreme measures employed during these processes.

'Sexual abuse happened in a very massive way' particularly in the early months of the conflict, she noted.

Mohamed Matar, who resides in the West Bank, also shared his traumatic experience of torture at the hands of both security agents and settlers.

After attempting to defend a Bedouin community from settler aggression shortly after the outbreak of hostilities, Matar described being caught by settlers who, along with members of Israel’s Shabak security agency, subjected him and two comrades to hours of violent assault.

Matar recounted being blindfolded, stripped of his clothing, and restrained before enduring degrading treatment in a stable.

He described harrowing acts of humiliation, including being forced to consume animal waste, while being tormented by his captors.

Matar presented visual evidence of his abuse, displaying bruises and injuries sustained during the encounter.

He expressed ongoing psychological trauma from the experience, stating, 'I didn’t think there were people on Earth with such a level of ugliness, sadism and cruelty.' The testimonies presented at the UN reflect a growing concern regarding the impact of the ongoing conflict on civilian safety and the treatment of individuals within detention settings.