UN finds 'convincing information' backing reports Hamas and other militants raped women on Oct. 7
CBC
Warning: This article contains graphic content and may affect those who have experienced sexual violence or know someone affected by it.
The UN envoy focusing on sexual violence in conflict said in a new report Monday that there are "reasonable grounds" to believe Hamas committed rape, "sexualized torture," and other cruel and inhumane treatment of women during its surprise attack in southern Israel on Oct. 7.
There are also "reasonable grounds to believe that such violence may be ongoing," said Pramila Patten, who visited Israel and the occupied West Bank from Jan. 29 to Feb. 14 with a nine-member technical team.
Based on first-hand accounts of released hostages, she said the team "found clear and convincing information" that some women and children during their captivity were subjected to the same conflict-related sexual violence including rape and "sexualized torture."
The report comes nearly five months after the Oct. 7 attacks, which left about 1,200 people dead and some 250 others taken hostage. Israel's war against Hamas has since laid waste to the Gaza Strip, killing more than 30,000 people, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. The UN says a quarter of Gaza's 2.3 million people face starvation.
Hamas has rejected earlier allegations that its fighters committed sexual assault.
Patten stressed at a press conference launching the report that the team's visit was not to investigate allegations of sexual violence but to gather, analyze and verify information for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' annual report on sexual violence in conflict and for the UN Security Council.
Her key recommendation is to encourage Israel to grant access to the UN human rights chief and the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Palestinian territories and Israel "to carry out full-fledged investigations into the alleged violations" — and she expressed hope the Security Council would do this.
Dr. Nadav Davidovitch, a public health physician who worked with Physicians for Human Rights Israel on its own investigation into allegations of sexual violence, welcomed the UN's report on Monday.
"It's really a very emotional day to have these crimes acknowledged and taken into consideration by the UN in a serious way," Davidovitch said in an interview.
Patten said the team was not able to meet with any victims of sexual violence "despite concerted efforts to encourage them to come forward." While the number of victims remains unknown, she said, "a small number of those who are undergoing treatment are reportedly experiencing severe mental distress and trauma."
However, team members held 33 meetings with Israeli institutions and conducted interviews with 34 people including survivors and witnesses of the Oct. 7 attacks, released hostages, health providers and others.
Based on the information it gathered, Patten said, "there are reasonable grounds to believe that conflict-related sexual violence occurred during the 7 October attacks in multiple locations across Gaza periphery, including rape and gang rape, in at least three locations."
Across various locations, she said, the team found "that several fully naked or partially naked bodies from the waist down were recovered – mostly women – with hands tied and shot multiple times, often in the head."
