Palestinians are fleeing the occupied West Bank due to sexual violence and gender-based abuse committed by Israeli settlers and soldiers, according to a report by the West Bank Protection Consortium.
The research found at least 16 cases of conflict-related sexual violence attributed to Israeli settlers and soldiers, with incidents including sexualised harassment, intimidation, and humiliation.
Interviewees reported being forced to strip, beaten, and urinated on, with attackers sharing images of the abuse. Soldiers present during these incidents did not intervene or properly investigate them.
The report states that the real number of attacks is likely underreported, and that sexualised violence is used to pressure communities, shape decisions about remaining or leaving their homes and land, and alter patterns of daily life.
The West Bank Protection Consortium is a partnership of international humanitarian organisations, and the report is based on interviews with 83 Palestinians from across 10 communities in the Jordan Valley, South Hebron Hills, and central West Bank.