CONTENT WARNING: The following article includes descriptions of sexual abuse. Reader discretion is advised for individuals who have experienced sexual violence or know someone who has.
A recent report by an Israeli non-profit organization revealed that sexual violence played a systematic and widespread role in the Hamas-led Oct. 7 attacks and their aftermath.
The report, named “Silenced No More,” was released on Tuesday by the Civil Commission, an independent body that conducted an investigation into gender-based violence perpetrated by Hamas following their 2023 assault on Israel, which triggered the conflict in Gaza.
Based on a two-year inquiry involving over 400 testimonies and close to 2,000 hours of visual evidence analysis, the report outlined 13 distinct patterns of violence, such as gang rape, sexual torture, and forced nudity.
According to Cochav Elkayam-Levy, the founder and chair of the commission and the lead author of the report, “Our findings reveal that sexual violence was a deliberate strategy employed as part of the broader campaign of terror against the victims and hostages.”
WARNING: Graphic content | UN investigators confirm allegations of Hamas engaging in sexual violence during the Oct. 7 attacks, with indications that such behavior continues.
Accusations of Sexual Violence from Both Sides
Since the onset of the conflict in Gaza, sexual violence has become a highly politicized issue, with each party attempting to undermine the other’s claims.
Israel has highlighted incidents during the Oct. 7 attacks and the treatment of hostages to emphasize what it deems as Hamas’ brutality, justifying its wartime objective of neutralizing any potential threat from Gaza. The Israeli government has accused the international community of neglecting or downplaying evidence of sexual violence, alleging bias against Israel.
The assertions made in the report could not be corroborated independently by The Associated Press, and critics have raised objections to some of Elkayam-Levy’s previous research. Noteworthy figures, including Hillary Rodham Clinton, Rahm Emanuel, and Sheryl Sandberg, have supported her work.
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Israeli report accuses Hamas of using sexual violence as weapon of war on Oct. 7
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