‘Widespread’ Sexual and Gender-Based Crimes in Hamas Attack, According to Israeli Officials

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GRAPHIC WARNING: This report contains explicit details of sexual assault and violence against women.

During the Hamas attack on an Israeli outdoor music festival on October 7th, a witness hiding in a pit reported overhearing a woman’s cries of being raped. In the same vicinity, a combat paramedic found a young woman’s body in a disturbing state, and an army reservist reported that several female victims were discovered in minimal, blood-stained clothing.

These harrowing incidents, relayed to The Big Big News and initially assessed by an Israeli rights group, indicate that sexual violence was a significant aspect of the brutal onslaught by Hamas and other Gaza militants. This attack resulted in approximately 1,200 fatalities, predominantly civilians, and the taking of over 240 hostages.

The Israeli government is currently examining the extent of these sexual assaults and criticizes the international community, particularly the United Nations, for overlooking the suffering of Israeli victims.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a press conference, emphatically demanded action from women’s and human rights organizations in response to these atrocities.

The U.S. President, Joe Biden, has expressed deep concern over these reports, calling for global condemnation of these heinous acts.

Two months post-attack, the Israeli police are painstakingly piecing together evidence. Initially, efforts were focused on identifying casualties, which hampered evidence preservation. Now, authorities are scrutinizing a massive collection of videos and testimonies to bring the culprits to justice, though locating surviving rape victims remains challenging.

Physicians for Human Rights in Israel, a group known for advocating Palestinian rights, released a preliminary report in November. Hadas Ziv, the organization’s policy and ethics director, acknowledged the widespread nature of these assaults but noted ongoing investigations into their systematic orchestration.

Hamas has consistently denied these accusations of sexual violence.

A witness named Ron Freger recounted his experience during the festival attack, including hearing a woman’s desperate cries of being raped, followed by a haunting silence after gunshots.

Israel’s police chief shared a videotaped testimony from a rape witness at the festival, her identity concealed for privacy. Her account detailed a brutal gang rape and subsequent mutilation of a female victim by the militants.

A combat medic described encountering several bodies with potential signs of sexual assault, including a young girl with disturbing evidence of abuse.

Shari Mendes of the Israeli army reserve, involved in victim identification, noted that many female bodies were received with minimal or bloodied clothing.

The report by Physicians for Human Rights in Israel documents widespread sexual and gender-based crimes across various locations, marking a significant deviation from Hamas’s known tactics of suicide bombings and shootings.

Experts like Nidhi Kapur, specializing in sexual abuse in conflict zones, emphasize the importance of forensic testing in confirming sexual assaults and building a comprehensive account of the attacks.

Netanyahu and his war cabinet recently met with hostages and their families, hearing firsthand accounts of sexual abuse. A doctor treating released hostages reported sexual assault among them, maintaining anonymity to protect their identities.

The Israeli military is deeply concerned about the sexual violence against female hostages still held by Hamas and other groups.

A recent event at the United Nations, attended by prominent figures like Hillary Clinton, highlighted the global failure to adequately support sexually assaulted women. However, the U.N.’s efforts to investigate these events are hindered by Israel’s non-cooperation, citing the organization’s alleged bias.

Human rights organizations are calling for an urgent, thorough, and impartial investigation into these disturbing allegations.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Hamas Sexual Assault Allegations

More about Hamas Sexual Assault Allegations

• The Big Big News Report on Hamas Assault
• Israeli Government’s Response to Sexual Assault Allegations
• U.S. President Biden’s Statement on Hamas Attack
• Physicians for Human Rights in Israel’s Preliminary Report
• Hamas’s Denial of Sexual Assault Allegations
• Concerns for Hostages Held by Hamas