UN human rights experts on Monday called for an independent investigation into allegations of violence, including sexual abuse, by Israelis against Palestinian women, AFP reported.

The statement of the seven independent UN experts provoked a furious reaction from Israel, which called their claims “vile and baseless”.

“Arbitrarily executed in Gaza, including their children.”

Experts expressed concern over “verified allegations of serious human rights violations” against Palestinian women in Gaza and the West Bank.

They cited reports that women and girls were “arbitrarily executed in Gaza, often along with their family members, including children.”

“We are shocked by reports that Palestinian women and children are being deliberately targeted and extrajudicially executed” when they “seek asylum or flee,” they said.

The independent experts, who are appointed by the UN Human Rights Council but do not represent the UN, also highlighted the “arbitrary detention of hundreds of Palestinian women and girls”, including human rights defenders, journalists and aid workers, following the unprecedented attack. Hamas has been on the territory of Israel since October 7

The attack killed 1,160 people, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.

According to the latest figures from the Hamas Health Ministry, Israel’s bombing and ground offensive in Gaza has killed at least 29,092 people since then, mostly women and children.

According to UN experts, many of the detainees were subjected to “inhuman and degrading treatment”, including severe beatings, and they were deprived of food and medicine.

They expressed particular concern at reports of “multiple forms of sexual violence”, including the rape of at least two detained women, while others were “stripped and searched by male Israeli army officers”.

The experts are calling for an “independent, impartial, prompt, full and effective investigation” into the allegations and calling on Israel to cooperate.

Israel’s mission to the UN in Geneva rejected their accusations, saying the experts were “motivated by hatred of Israel, not the truth.”

It also said Israeli authorities had not received any complaints but were ready to investigate any “specific allegations of misconduct by its security forces when credible allegations and evidence are presented.”