“More than a human can bear”: Israel's systematic use of sexual, reproductive and other forms of gender-based violence since 7 October 2023

UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory report documenting Israel’s use of sexual, reproductive, and gender-based violence against Palestinians since October 2023, submitted to the UN Human Rights Council. The report covers a wide range of violations committed against Palestinians across the Occupied Palestinian Territories, finding that sexual and gender-based violence is used systematically by Israel as a strategy of war and domination. Documenting sexual crimes committed by Israeli settlers in the West Bank, the destruction of reproductive healthcare facilities across Gaza, the role of Israeli military leadership in implicitly and explicitly enabling these crimes, and disproportionate impacts and targeting of Palestinian women and girls, the report contains comprehensive findings and has extensive legal implications. Findings are based on verified digital evidence and survivor/witness testimonies. This report is valuable for research on sexual and gender-based violence, humanitarian violations in Gaza and the West Bank, and international law gaps in the OPT.