UNITED NATIONS - A team of United Nations experts reported on March 4 that there were “reasonable grounds to believe” sexual violence, including rape and gang rape, occurred at several locations during the Oct 7 attack on Israel by Hamas militants.
The team – led by UN special envoy for sexual violence in conflict Pramila Patten – visited Israel between Jan 29 and Feb 14 on a mission intended to gather, analyse and verify information on sexual violence linked to the Oct 7 attacks.
“Credible circumstantial information, which may be indicative of some forms of sexual violence, including genital mutilation, sexualised torture, or cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, was also gathered,” read the 24-page UN report.
Hamas fighters attacked Israel on Oct 7, killing around 1,200 people and seizing 253 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Israel’s retaliation against Hamas in the Gaza Strip has since killed around 30,000 Palestinians, health authorities in the Hamas-run enclave say.
“The mission team found clear and convincing information that some hostages taken to Gaza have been subjected to various forms of conflict-related sexual violence, and has reasonable grounds to believe that such violence may be ongoing,” the UN report said. The team said a “fully fledged investigation” would be required to establish the overall magnitude, scope and specific attribution for the sexual violence.
Hamas on March 5 rejected the UN report, saying the findings were simply “false claims” and did not document any testimony from the alleged victims.
The UN team said it also received information from institutional and civil society sources and direct interviews, about “sexual violence against Palestinian men and women in detention settings, during house raids and at checkpoints” after Oct 7. The detention centres were in Israel.
The UN team said it raised the allegations with the Israeli Ministry of Justice and Military Advocate General, which said no complaints of sexual violence against members of the Israeli Defence Forces had been received.
Israel has been critical of the UN response to the Oct 7 attacks. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in late 2023 that sexual violence committed on Oct 7 “must be vigorously investigated and prosecuted” stressing: “Gender-based violence must be condemned. Anytime. Anywhere.”
“The UN claims to care about women, yet as we speak right now, Israeli women are being raped and abused by Hamas terrorists. Where is the UN’s voice? Where is your voice?” Israel’s UN Ambassador Gilad Erdan told the 193-member UN General Assembly earlier on March 4.
“Hamas must face unrelenting pressure to end their sexual violence and release all of the hostages immediately,” he said.
Israel’s foreign minister Israel Katz said on March 4 that he has recalled Mr Erdan for consultations over the escalating row. REUTERS, AFP
