Another day in hell...100 more killed
Gaza toll as UN finds signs of rape
AN Israeli airstrike killed at least 17 people in the Gazan city of Khan Younis yesterday, bringing the 24-hour death toll to close to 100.
The latest fatalities brought overall deaths in the Palestinian territory to 30,631, with more than 72,000 people wounded.
It came as the UN said there were reasonable grounds to believe Hamas committed rape and sexualised torture during the October 7 attacks on southern Israel that sparked the war.
Latest ceasefire talks have
ended with no breakthrough with the Islamic festival Ramadan just days away.
It was hoped a temporary peace deal might stall a feared Israeli ground attack on Rafah, where more than a million Palestinians are sheltering.
Aid groups say they can no longer distribute aid in northern Gaza because of the breakdown of law and order there.
More than 100 Palestinians were also killed last week when thousands converged on an aid convoy and the Israeli military opened fire. Palestinian officials said most of the victims were shot, while Israel claimed most of those killed were trampled.
The UN said a quarter of Gaza’s 2.3 million people are starving.
After a weeks-long probe, UN Special Representative on Sexual Violence Pramila Patten said investigators uncovered signs Hamas-led militants sexually assaulted women and children.
In various locations, she said her team found several naked or waist-down naked bodies with their hands tied and multiple bullet wounds, often in the head.
While this evidence is circumstantial, she said the pattern of undressing and restraining victims may be indicative of some forms of sexual violence.
Ms Patten said: “There are reasonable grounds to believe that multiple incidents of sexual violence took place.”
She said victims may have been subjected to rape or gang rape but her team was not able to meet with any victims and the number remains unknown.
Ms Patten added: “A small number of those who are undergoing treatment are reportedly experiencing severe mental distress and trauma.”
Israel launched its offensive after Hamas militants stormed the border in October, killing 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting around 250.