Fateh’s Reformist Democratic Faction stands firm in its condemnation of the crime that transpired in Hebron on July 10th, where two masked Israeli soldiers, armed and accompanied by attack-trained dogs, subjected five Palestinian women to a harrowing and dehumanizing ordeal.
The incident unfolded during a military raid targeting a Palestinian family’s residence, housing 26 individuals, including 15 children and teenagers aged between 4 and 17. This late-night raid involved approximately 50 Israeli occupation soldiers, accompanied by at least two attack dogs.
What transpired within those walls lays bare the brutal and dehumanizing tactics employed by the Israeli occupation forces. These masked soldiers forcibly compelled each of the five women, including a mother and her daughter, as well as three daughters-in-law, to undress one by one. They then subjected these vulnerable individuals to a humiliating march in front of the soldiers and some family members.
Dimitri Diliani, Fateh’s Reformist Democratic Faction’s Spokesperson, vehemently denounces this egregious violation of human rights, stating, “The actions of the Israeli occupation forces in Hebron epitomize the dehumanization of the Palestinian people by the Israeli soldiers. Such a heinous act not only traumatizes the victims but also reveals the depths of depravity to which the occupation forces stoop. This incident is a stark example of the systemic oppression faced by Palestinians living under occupation.”
The Palestinian women, already traumatized by the intrusion, were further terrorized as the Israeli occupation soldiers threatened to release attack dogs on them if they did not comply with their demands. It is a stark discrepancy that male Palestinians were subjected to body searches but were not forced to undress, underscoring the gender-specific nature of this cruel act.
The family, having endured hours of fear and humiliation, later discovered the disappearance of a bag containing gold jewelry, purchased for an upcoming wedding, valued at around 40,000 shekels (approximately 11,000 dollars). When they filed a complaint with the Israeli occupation police in the illegitimate settlement of “Kiryat Arba,” they were accused of lying. Only after their persistent insistence did the Israeli occupation police claim that “the soldiers mistook it for a bag of bullets.”
Diliani emphasizes, “This incident is not an isolated event. It is a chilling reminder of the daily injustices and abuses suffered by the Palestinian people under occupation. The international community must not remain silent in the face of such flagrant violations of human rights and the systematic cover-up by Israeli authorities. Those responsible must be held accountable.”
Fateh’s Reformist Democratic Faction calls upon the global community to condemn this abhorrent incident and the de facto encouragement of such crimes through Israeli official cover-up. It is imperative that the world does not turn a blind eye to such atrocities and takes concrete steps towards ending the ongoing Israeli military occupation, ensuring a future where dignity and respect prevail for the Palestinian people.