New York, New York – Eyewitnesses and first responders provided harrowing testimony at a United Nations session on Monday, detailing the evidence of sexual violence and rape perpetrated by Hamas during the October 7 terror attack on Israel. Simchat Greyman, a member of ZAKA, an ultra-orthodox Jewish human remains recovery organization, described the gruesome scenes he witnessed while recovering the bodies of the attack victims. One body was so severely brutalized that they couldn’t even tell whether it was a man or a woman.
Greyman’s testimony was just one of several that highlighted the extent of the sexual violence and rape weaponized by Hamas during the attacks. Yael Richert, a superintendent with the Israel Police, shared information gathered during the investigation, stating that survivors of the terror attack had witnessed Hamas terrorists perpetrating sexual violence against the victims. Testimonies from several individuals corroborated these claims, describing brutal acts of sexual violence inflicted on the victims.
The evidence presented during the session at the UN was ample and overwhelming, coming from different sources. The Israel Police indicated that they had been interrogating suspects, compiling evidence, and interviewing witnesses as part of their investigation into the sexual crimes and other atrocities committed by Hamas on October 7. The Vice President, Shari Mendes, also described the evidence she saw, stating that many of the bodies arrived in “bloody shredded rags or just underwear, and their underwear was often very bloody.”
In addition to Israeli officials, international organizations have also vowed to investigate the sexual crimes committed by Hamas. The chair of a UN commission of inquiry investigating potential war crimes on both sides of the Israel-Hamas war said it will probe accounts of sexual violence allegedly carried out on October 7. This further underscores the gravity of the situation and the widespread condemnation of these heinous acts.
The brutality of the attacks and the extent of the sexual violence have prompted calls for international condemnation and justice for the victims. US President Joe Biden, along with other government officials and human rights organizations, have strongly condemned the atrocities committed by Hamas. The testimonies and evidence shared concerning the unimaginable cruelty inflicted on the victims have ignited a global outcry, demanding accountability and justice for the survivors of these horrific acts.