Reim, Israel – The Association of Rape Crisis Centers in Israel has released a report detailing evidence of sexual crimes committed by Hamas gunmen during the 7 October attacks. According to the report, the evidence suggests that these crimes were committed systematically and intentionally.
The report by the umbrella organization describes “identical patterns” of sexual violence at various locations, including violent rapes of women conducted “collectively” or “in front of an audience.” Hamas has denied the allegations of sexual assault by its gunmen during the attacks.
Following the attacks, Israel responded by launching a military campaign in Gaza, resulting in a significant number of casualties, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. Reports of sexual violence carried out by Hamas have continued to emerge steadily since the 7 October attacks.
A senior Israeli police officer informed British MPs that there was “clear evidence” collected from forensic investigations and hundreds of witness statements, indicating the commission of sexual crimes on a scale that amounts to a crime against humanity.
The report by the Association of Rape Crisis Centers in Israel brings together various reports and firsthand information it has received directly from professionals and confidential calls. It details brutal acts of violent rape, with rape incidents occurring collectively and sometimes in front of an audience. The report also cites evidence of numerous bodies being mutilated and bound, with sexual organs brutally attacked.
The report concludes that the patterns of action repeated in each of the attack zones, such as the Nova festival and Israeli military bases, paint a clear picture of the nature and scale of the sexual crimes committed during the attacks. The ACCRI has submitted its findings to the UN Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, and Israeli authorities have expressed frustration regarding the slow response of international organizations to the allegations.
In response, several independent UN experts have expressed concern about reports of violence against Palestinian women and girls in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. Israel has rejected the allegations as “despicable and unfounded,” further complicating the situation.