Israeli Experts Warn: Hamas Employs Sexual Violence as a Tool in Genocidal Strategy

Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, left behind harrowing accounts of violence, including reports of sexual assault. A recent report from the Dinah Project, an all-female team of legal and gender experts in Israel, claims that Hamas used sexual violence as a weapon of war. They argue it was part of a deliberate plan to terrorize and dehumanize Israeli society.

The Dinah Project’s report includes testimonies from female survivors, former hostages, and witnesses. One survivor recounted experiencing an attempted rape during the attack at the Nova music festival. Another former hostage described horrific treatment, including forced nudity and sexual abuse.

Experts have underscored the severity of this issue. A UN mission confirmed in March 2024 that there were “reasonable grounds” to believe that sexual violence, including rape, occurred during the October 7 attack. This aligns with findings from the International Criminal Court, which has charged three Hamas leaders with crimes against humanity, including sexual violence.

The report details various incidents, highlighting that many of the assaults took place at the Nova music festival and other locations. In total, witnesses reported numerous cases of gang rapes, severe sexual assaults, and mutilations linked to the event.

One striking statistic from the report reveals that nearly all former hostages reported verbal or physical harassment during their captivity. Most victims remain silent, either due to trauma or because they did not survive.

The Dinah Project aims to ensure justice for these victims. They propose a new legal framework to prosecute sexual violence in conflicts, even when direct evidence is scarce. This blueprint emphasizes accountability, insisting that such crimes must not go unpunished. Overall, it stresses the need for the international community to acknowledge sexual violence as a serious violation of international law.

These findings serve as a reminder that sexual violence remains a tragic reality in conflicts worldwide. The Dinah Project aims not only to seek justice for victims of October 7 but also to pave the way for accountability in future conflicts.



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