Jerusalem, Israel – A team of United Nations experts has uncovered disturbing evidence of sexual violence, including rape and gang rape, during a Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7. The UN special envoy for sexual violence, Pramila Patten, led the team in their investigation in Israel between January 29 and February 14.
The 24-page report released by the UN team indicated that there were “reasonable grounds to believe” that sexual violence, including genital mutilation and sexualized torture, took place during the attack. Hamas, the Palestinian group governing Gaza, has consistently denied accusations that its fighters were involved in such acts of violence.
According to the report, some hostages taken during the attack were subjected to various forms of conflict-related sexual violence, with potential ongoing occurrences. The attacks on October 7 resulted in the deaths of at least 1,139 individuals and the hostage-taking of around 250 others, as reported by Al Jazeera based on official Israeli figures.
The aftermath of the attack on Gaza has been devastating, leading to the death of over 30,500 individuals and the displacement of more than 80% of the population, according to Palestinian health authorities. The UN has expressed concern that a quarter of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents are facing starvation.
Despite efforts to reach out to victims of sexual violence, the team was unable to meet with any. However, they did conduct 33 meetings with Israeli institutions and interviewed 34 people, including survivors, witnesses, released captives, and health providers.
The investigation revealed shocking details, such as the recovery of fully or partially naked bodies of women with bound hands and multiple gunshot wounds. The team also confirmed instances of rape and sexual violence in locations like Road 232 and Kibbutz Re’im in Israel. However, some reports of sexual violence were found to be unfounded due to new information or inconsistencies in the facts gathered.
The findings of the UN team suggest that further investigation is needed to fully understand the extent of sexual violence that occurred during the attack. Reports of sexual violence against Palestinian men and women in Israeli detention settings, house raids, and checkpoints following October 7 were also brought to light.
The team raised these concerns with Israeli authorities, who claimed no complaints of sexual violence involving Israeli military members were filed. The report underscores the need for a thorough investigation into these disturbing allegations of sexual violence in conflict-affected areas.