Rafah: Palestinians returning to the Gaza Strip through the recently reopened Rafah crossing have reported a repeated pattern of mistreatment, abuse, and humiliation by Israeli military forces, the UN human rights office said.
According to Anadolu Agency, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) stated that returnees reported being taken by armed Palestinians, allegedly backed by the Israeli army, to an Israeli military checkpoint after crossing. Some of those individuals were bound, blindfolded, searched, threatened, and intimidated, with personal belongings and money stolen.
Upon reaching the Israeli checkpoint, returnees described experiencing violence, degrading interrogations, and invasive body searches that violated their privacy. The OHCHR noted that in some cases, these searches were conducted while individuals were bound and blindfolded.
Returnees also reported being denied access to medical care and blocked from using toilets, leading to public humiliation, including being forced to urinate in public. Some were allegedly offered money to return to Egypt with their families and not return to Gaza, while others were approached to work as informants for the Israeli army.
The UN rights office highlighted that these accounts suggest a pattern of behavior violating Palestinians' rights to personal security, dignity, and protection from torture and ill-treatment. It raised concerns about coercive practices potentially deterring Palestinians from returning to areas they were forced to leave, contributing to 'the consolidation of ethnic cleansing in Gaza.'
Ajith Sunghay, Office Director, emphasized the international community's responsibility to ensure compliance with international law and respect for Palestinians' human rights. UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric called on all parties to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law to protect civilians and infrastructure.
Dujarric added that UN teams received 25 additional returnees overnight after crossing through Rafah. The UN Development Program provided transportation to Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, where OCHA and partners operate a reception center with protection specialists, psychologists, and medical staff to support new arrivals.
The World Health Organization and partners facilitated the evacuation of 22 patients and 31 companions from Gaza to Egypt through the Rafah crossing. WHO's priorities include ensuring humanitarian aid and supplies into Gaza, accelerating health services, rehabilitating facilities, and expanding critical services.
Dujarric reiterated calls to reopen the medical referral route to the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, to improve access to care for more patients. More than 18,500 patients in Gaza require specialized treatment unavailable locally.
A ceasefire deal in October 2023 ended an Israeli offensive lasting two years, resulting in nearly 72,000 Palestinian deaths and over 171,000 injuries, while destroying about 90% of Gaza's infrastructure. Despite the ceasefire, the Israeli army has continued violations, with 574 Palestinians killed and 1,518 wounded, according to Gaza's Health Ministry.