SouthernWorldwide.com – A comprehensive report released on Tuesday by the Civil Commission on Oct. 7 Crimes Against Women and Children has concluded that Hamas and its collaborators deliberately and systematically employed sexual and gender-based violence as a core strategy during the 2023 massacres in southern Israel.
The Israeli nonprofit’s investigation gathered evidence of these atrocities from various locations attacked on October 7th. This includes the Nova Music Festival, kibbutzim situated near the Gaza border, Israeli Defense Forces bases, and among hostages held in captivity. The condition of recovered bodies also showed signs consistent with sexual violence.
According to the report, investigators identified a pattern of at least 13 distinct forms of abuse. These included rape, sexual torture, targeted shootings of victims’ genital areas, and acts of violence perpetrated even after death.
The report highlights the profound dedication of the commission’s members. “We had to not only collect materials, but also review and analyze it alongside forensic experts while witnessing human suffering at its worst,” stated Elkayam-Levy. She further explained their motivation, driven by the initial denial and questioning surrounding the events. Their aim was to ensure the global community understood the full extent of what befell the victims.
“For us, it is a final act of justice for the victims,” she added, emphasizing the report’s role in honoring those affected by the violence.
The report also documented instances where sexual violence was inflicted in the presence of family members, or even involved them directly. One particularly harrowing account detailed relatives allegedly being coerced into committing acts against each other.
Furthermore, the report accuses Hamas and its allied perpetrators of leveraging digital platforms and social media. These tools were reportedly used to amplify psychological distress, spread terror, and publicize the attacks, including the dissemination of sexually explicit material.
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Elkayam-Levy expressed her hope that the report’s findings would transcend academic circles and human rights organizations. She believes that counterterrorism and national security experts should also study these findings to better comprehend and combat such atrocities.
“We cannot prevent what we do not fully understand,” Elkayam-Levy asserted. She stressed that no single prosecution could fully encapsulate the magnitude of these crimes as this report does. Therefore, she emphasized the critical need for policymakers and legislators to formally recognize these findings and hold hearings to address the issue comprehensively.
The report underscores the far-reaching impact of the October 7th atrocities, noting that victims hailed from 52 different countries. This highlights the global scope and interconnectedness of the attack’s consequences.
Witness testimonies cited within the report offer deeply disturbing accounts. One such testimony described a woman who was sexually assaulted before being beheaded. Another witness recounted seeing a woman subjected to repeated rape and stabbing against a wall after being dragged from a vehicle, with the violence allegedly continuing post-mortem.
In a separate case, a witness described discovering the body of a man whose genitals had been severed. The report noted the body was found beside that of a woman holding them, suggesting an intent to degrade and humiliate the victims.
Investigators reported that some female victims were found naked or partially clothed. Evidence indicated severe mutilation, with objects such as grenades, nails, and household tools inserted into their bodies. The report also detailed gunshot wounds, cuts, and burn injuries concentrated on intimate areas.
Further examination of some female bodies at morgues revealed broken pelvises or legs, bloodied underwear, and additional trauma to the abdomen or groin, according to the report.
Former hostages, both male and female, have also provided testimony regarding rape, sexual torture, and other abuses during their abduction and captivity. The report states that some female captives reported experiencing sexual assaults even while receiving medical treatment in Gaza hospitals for injuries sustained during the attacks.
Male hostages similarly described instances of sexual abuse during their captivity. These included assaults in shower areas and incidents carried out under armed threat while victims were naked. One former hostage recounted a particularly egregious sexual assault where a captor forcibly rubbed his genitals against the victim’s anus.
“They would hit me with whatever they had on hand. I underwent severe torture, bondage and sexual abuse. Everything they could do to me, they did. My body is still covered in scars. After four months of torture, I was clinically dead, rolling my eyes and passing out. They decided to stop the violence and brought doctors to treat me with injections and gave me food again,” the former hostage recounted.
The report concludes that sexual and gender-based violence was “widespread and systematic.” It further characterized these acts as an “integral component” of both the October 7th attacks and the subsequent treatment of captives. The report urges the prosecution of such crimes as an “urgent” priority, to be pursued through international accountability mechanisms.
Among its key recommendations, the commission calls for targeted sanctions against individuals and entities implicated in carrying out or materially supporting the October 7th attack and its aftermath. It also advocates for action against the denial, minimization, or politicization of the sexual crimes committed during the massacre and in captivity.
“The Commission further recommends that Israel adopt a comprehensive gender strategy within its prosecutorial framework and establish a specialized chamber or panel of judges dedicated to the prosecution of sexual and gender-based crimes committed on October 7th and during captivity,” the report stated.
Elkayam-Levy noted that the report has garnered significant international attention, including prominent coverage in U.S. and global media. “We feel the discussion has shifted from questioning whether these crimes occurred to examining their consequences,” she said. She highlighted the establishment of a substantial legal evidentiary foundation, preserved in a secure archive, which can no longer be denied.
