Investigation Reveals Hamas’s Sexual Violence During October 7 Attack

A comprehensive report stemming from a two-year investigation into the October 7, 2023, Hamas assault on Israel has been published. It reveals that the organization engaged in “deliberate and systematic” sexual violence against numerous victims, including families.

Released by a civil committee focused on Hamas’s crimes against women and children, the report is titled “Silenced No More: Sexual Horror Revealed.” According to the committee, it’s the first to utilize uniquely assembled war crimes archives to systematically gather and analyze evidence of sexual and gender-based violence during the attacks and in captivity.

The commission included detailed accounts from over 10,000 photos and videos, 1,800 hours of footage, and more than 430 testimonies and interviews with survivors, witnesses, and released hostages from 52 different nationalities. They ensured the data was cross-referenced through a thorough review process, according to the human rights organization.

The conflict, which began on that fateful day, escalated dramatically when Hamas terrorists attacked Israel at various locations, including the Nova music festival, resulting in at least 354 fatalities and many more kidnappings. This marked one of the darkest events in Israel’s history.

A research team, comprised of legal experts, archivists, and trauma specialists, identified 13 recurrent forms of sexual and gender-based violence reported from the Nova Music Festival, residential areas, roads, military locations, and other contexts. These included:

• Rape and gang rape
• Sexual torture and mutilation
• Forced nudity
• Sexual violence related to executions
• Posthumous sexual abuse
• Sexual assaults in the presence of family members

Researchers noted that the atrocities documented across various sites indicate a troubling pattern of abuse, suggesting that it was not an isolated incident but rather a part of a broader strategy.

In one harrowing account, a family held together was forced to perpetrate acts of sexual violence against one another.

“The commission defines this as murderous sexual violence, which exploits family bonds as a weapon, intentionally aiming to fracture the family unit,” the report stated.

At the Nova festival, witnesses recounted horrifying scenes, including instances where women were raped and mutilated, whether dead or alive. One survivor, Yoni Sadong, who sought refuge under a stage, described witnessing a woman being raped and then shot in the head. He also noted seeing another woman, whom he described as “a beautiful woman with the face of an angel,” being violently assaulted by several men.

“She kept yelling, ‘Stop it! I’m going to die from this! Just kill me already!'” Sadong recalled. They laughed and shot her in the head.

Another survivor, Raz Cohen, remembered seeing terrorists drag a woman from a vehicle, where they raped and then killed her.

“They pulled her out of the car and raped her. We could hear her screaming during the attack. They then murdered her, only to violate her once more after she lay still,” Cohen shared.

Victims also included men, children, and the elderly. One male survivor described being subjected to violent gang rape and torture, confirming his claims through a polygraph test.

“They seemed to enjoy it, treating me like some sort of object,” he recounted, explaining how he was tortured to the point of bleeding from his eyes.

Eden Wessely described her experience attempting to rescue a friend at the festival, where she discovered and photographed a charred woman’s body on a nearby road. The victim’s dress had been pulled up and her underwear taken off.

“They stripped her and exposed her,” Wessely remarked.

The report also revealed that the perpetrators used social media to livestream and distribute the horrific acts, transforming individual acts of violence into broader psychological weapons against families and communities.

“These tactics not only harm the victims but also serve to traumatize entire families and society,” the commission stated.

Ultimately, the commission concluded that Hamas’s actions were premeditated and systematically integrated into the attack plans, amounting to war crimes and crimes against humanity under international law.

“For two years, we listened to survivors and examined evidence, confronting material that is often beyond human understanding,” remarked Dr. Kochav Elkayam-Levy, an expert in international law who led the investigation. “This report underscores that the sexual violence was a purposeful strategy executed with exceptional cruelty.”

The commission emphasized that the findings serve as a legal guide for prosecution, aiming to bring those responsible to justice.

In conjunction with the report’s release, Israel’s parliament passed legislation to create military tribunals dedicated to prosecuting individuals involved in the October 7 attacks.

The investigation garnered support from several notable figures, including former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former U.S. Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel.

“We dedicate this report to all the victims and survivors of the sexual atrocities committed on October 7th, as well as to those who remain in the shadows but are equally present in our hearts,” the commission stated.