UN adds Israel and Russia to blacklist for sexual violence in conflict

The UN added Israel and Russia to a blacklist for sexual violence in conflict. UN verification covered abuse of 31 Palestinian men, women, and children from the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank between 2023 and 2025. Israeli attacks included repeated gang-rapes and sexual violence used as torture, including rape with objects, attempted rape, attacks on genitals, targeted shooting of genitals, touching of breasts and genitals, forced nudity, and threats of rape. Investigators said findings reflected incidents and patterns rather than a comprehensive account due to restrictions, including Israel barring access to detention centres and blocking travel to Gaza. Russia obstructed investigations into systemic sexual violence against Ukrainians by barring monitors from accessing prisoners of war and civilians in detention. Investigators still verified 310 cases, including rape, gang-rape, genital mutilation, and electric shocks to genitals, with most victims being men. Russia denies such conduct, and Israel denies it as well.

"The UN verified sexual abuse of 31 Palestinian men, women and children from the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank between 2023 and 2025. Israeli attacks included repeated gang-rapes and the use of sexual violence as a form of torture, the report said. Other violations include rape with objects, attempted rape, attacks on genitals, targeted shooting of genitals, touching of breasts and genitals, forced nudity and threats of rape. These cases were indicative of incidents and patterns rather than a comprehensive summary of conflict-related sexual violence by Israelis, because of restrictions on UN investigators."

"Israel barred UN experts from detention centres, blocked travel to Gaza, and has threatened Palestinian detainees if they report abuse after their release. Russia also obstructed investigations into systemic sexual violence against Ukrainians, barring monitors from accessing prisoners of war and civilians in detention, the UN said. Despite these challenges, investigators verified 310 cases of abuse, including rape and gang-rape, genital mutilation and applying electric shocks to genitals. Most victims were men, with 26 women and four girls also abused."

"Russia deploys systematic sexual torture against Ukrainians, both civilians and prisoners of war, in almost all detention centres, the UN previously found. In two-thirds of cases, Russian forces used multiple forms of sexual violence, and more than half of survivors endured repeated sexual attacks, the report said. Most were interviewed in Ukrainian-held territory after their release. Israel and Russia both deny the use of sexual violence by their military."

"The UN has added Israel and Russia to a blacklist for sexual violence in conflict, citing abuse by security forces including rape of male detainees. . The UN verified sexual abuse of 31 Palestinian men, women and children from the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank between 2023 and 2025. Israeli attacks included repeated gang-rapes and the use of sexual violence as a form of torture, the report said. Other violations include rape with objects, attempted rape, attacks on genitals, targeted shooting of genitals, touching of breasts and genitals, forced nudity and threats of rape."

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