Report: Sexual violence ‘integral’ to October 7 Hamas attack on Israel

Systematic sexual violence occurred during the Hamas-led terrorist attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 and throughout the captivity of numerous hostages, according to an extensive report published on Tuesday by an independent commission in Israel.

The Civil Commission on October 7th Crimes by Hamas Against Women and Children released its findings following an investigation lasting more than two years.

The report refers to “rape, gang rape, sexual torture, forced nudity, mutilation, burning of bodies” as well as sexual attacks in the presence of family members.

Running to around 300 pages, the report is based on witness testimony, visual documentation and forensic evidence.

It states that 13 recurring patterns of abuse in various locations and at different stages of the attacks were identified. These included “the deliberate filming and digital dissemination of abuse as a means of amplifying terror.”

The findings showed that these crimes were not isolated incidents, but rather a “widespread and systematic and formed an integral component of the attacks and the subsequent treatment of hostages.”

Unprecedented Hamas attack

On October 7, 2023, Hamas carried out an unprecedented terrorist attack on Israel, killing around 1,200 people in border communities and at a music festival, and abducting more than 250 people to the Gaza Strip.

Israel responded with a military offensive in the Gaza Strip, which led to a protracted war and triggered a catastrophic humanitarian crisis.

Because of the scale and intensity of its operations, which have left tens of thousands dead, Israel has faced repeated accusations of war crimes and, in some cases, genocide.

The Israeli government has categorically rejected those allegations.

Some of the hostages were freed by the Israeli army, while others were released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. The remains of captives were also returned.