In a press statement on Sunday, Alsalem stressed that Israel’s attacks on Palestinian women form part of a systematic strategy of genocide, asserting that the killing of Palestinian women simply because of their gender constitutes a war crime and a crime against humanity.
The UN expert further underscored that the deliberate targeting of women and the destruction of reproductive health services are being weaponized as tools of Israeli genocide in Gaza.
She underlined that a comprehensive review of Israel’s actions reveals that the deliberate targeting of Palestinians’ reproductive capacity is a key aspect of this strategy.
Alsalem referred to the United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, which also prohibits acts of genocide aimed at preventing reproduction within a particular group.
She elaborated that when considered together, the destruction of the healthcare system, the abandonment of newborns to their fate and the creation of intolerable conditions for pregnant and breastfeeding women all serve as instruments of Israeli genocidal violence, aimed at the total or partial destruction of the Palestinian population.
Alsalem also addressed the catastrophic effects of the ongoing attacks on women and children, citing data from the United Nations Population Fund.
She noted that approximately 800,000 women have been forcibly displaced from their homes, and nearly one million women and girls are suffering from severe food insecurity.
The UN official further highlighted that the rate of abortion has surged by 300% due to the lack of adequate medical care, the psychological trauma and the ongoing bombings.
This goes beyond genocide, she said, adding that it involves premeditated killing and the complete erosion of legal norms of armed conflict.