CAT/C/ISR/CO/4 page 10 coordinate among the IDF, the Police, the State Attorney’s Office, and the ISA, the Committee expresses concern about such violence, especially its rising number. Any allegation of ill-treatment by Israeli settlers, like others under the State party’s jurisdiction, should be promptly and impartially investigated, those responsible be prosecuted and, if found guilty, appropriately punished. House demolitions 33. While recognizing the authority of the State party to demolish structures that may be considered legitimate military targets according to international humanitarian law, the Committee regrets the resumption by the State party of its policy of purely “punitive” house demolitions in East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip despite its decision of 2005 to cease this practice. The State party should desist from its policies of house demolitions where they violate article 16 of the Convention. Allegations of torture and ill-treatment by Palestinian forces 34. According to reports before the Committee, both Hamas security forces in Gaza and Fatah authorities in the West Bank have carried out arbitrary arrests, abductions and unlawful detentions of political opponents, denied them access to a lawyer and subjected detainees to acts of torture and ill-treatment. Reportedly, those detained have been denied, inter alia, basic due process rights and the right to prompt and effective investigations. Additionally, an increase in such incidents¸ including deliberate maiming, as well as extrajudicial killings, was reported to have been conducted by Hamas forces in Gaza, allegedly against Fatah security services officials or persons suspected of collaboration with Israeli forces, during and after Operation Cast Lead. The Palestinian authorities in the West Bank should take immediate measures to investigate, prosecute and appropriately punish persons under their jurisdiction responsible for these abuses; additionally, Hamas authorities in the Gaza Strip should take immediate steps to end its campaign of abductions, deliberate and unlawful killings, torture, and unlawful detentions, and to punish those responsible. The creation of an independent, impartial and non-partisan commission of experts to investigate these abuses should receive attention as a matter of priority. 35. The Committee encourages the State party to ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention. 36. The Committee also encourages the State party to consider making the declarations under articles 21 and 22 of the Convention, thereby recognizing the competence of the Committee to receive and consider inter-state and individual communications. 37. The Committee encourages the State party to withdraw its declaration prohibiting article 20 inquiries. 38. The Committee invites the State party to ratify the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.