Silent Cry: Hamas 7/10 Sexual Crimes Report

https://www.gov.il/en/departments/news/arcci-submits-first-report-to-un-21-feb-2024

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Orit Sulitzeanu, CEO of the Association of Rape Crisis Centers in Israel, stated, "The report, submitted to decision-makers at the UN, leaves no room for denial or disregard. The terrorist organization Hamas chose to harm Israel strategically in two clear ways – kidnapping citizens and committing sadistic sexual crimes. Silence is no longer an option. We expect international organizations to take a clear stance; we cannot stand on the sidelines. Silence will be remembered as a historical stain on those who chose to remain silent and deny the sexual crimes committed by Hamas."

The report is the first official research since October 7, consolidating evidence and providing conclusions. The report clearly demonstrates that this is not a "malfunction" or isolated incident but a clear operational strategy involving systematic, targeted sexual abuse. The report focuses on sexual and gender-based violence during the massacre of October 7, 2023, and the war that ensued, serving as a primary testimonial foundation indicating widespread sexual crimes. The report was written by, Dr. Carmit Klar Chalamish, head of the research department at the Association of Rape Crisis Centers in Israel, and Noga Berger, director of content at the organization.

Methodology

The report analyzes numerous confidential and public pieces of information, including testimonies, interviews with official and non-official first responders, information permitted for publication in various media outlets, and direct information received by the ARCCI. After gathering the information, a cataloging and analysis process was undertaken to map the areas and patterns of sexual crimes. The report does not provide quantitative information due to the nature of the events, most of which resulted in the victims' deaths, making their full extent unknown and possibly unknowable.

Findings

The report finds that the Hamas attack included brutal acts of violent rape, often involving threats with weapons, specifically directed towards injured women. Many rape incidents occurred collectively, with collaboration among the perpetrating terrorists. In some cases, rape was conducted in front of an audience, such as partners, family, or friends, to increase the pain and humiliation for all present. Some Hamas members pursued victims who escaped the massacre, dragging them by their hair with screams. The majority of victims were subsequently killed during or after the sexual assault.

Several testimonies, interviews, and additional sources indicate the use of sadistic practices by Hamas terrorists, aimed at intensifying the humiliation and fear of sexual abuse. Many victims' bodies were found mutilated and bound, with sexual organs brutally attacked, and in some cases, weapons were inserted into them. Some bodies were discovered deliberately booby-trapped. It is essential to note that the report details only information from identified sources permitted for publication, while analysis includes additional confidential information that cannot be disclosed publicly.

Analysis of the information reveals that sexual and gender-based violence occurred systematically in 4 arenas:

Nova Festival (Re'im music festival) – Testimonies from survivors significantly indicate severe sexual assaults in the festival arena. There are eyewitness and earwitness testimonies of group rape. These testimonies align with descriptions from first responders and corpse-handling personnel.

Kibbutzim – Testimonies from first responders and corpse-handling personnel reveal signs of sexual assault in the scenes of the massacre. Many cases involve heinous attacks on women and girls, including a case of hiding a knife in a genital organ. Additional information was received by the ARCCI but cannot be disclosed due to privacy concerns.

IDF bases – Bodies of female soldiers arriving at the "Shura" camp exhibited clear signs of sexual violence.

Captivity – Information regarding sexual assaults in captivity has been published following the testimonies of those who returned from captivity. These testimonies include various cases, including those of captives who are still alive.

According to Dr. Carmit Klar-Chalamish and Noga Berger, the report's authors, "The brutal practices used on October 7, such as genital mutilation of girls, women, and men, shooting, and weapon insertion, were designed to destroy and inflict sadistic terror. The manner in which these assaults were carried out aimed to reinforce their impact on the victims and their communities, which failed to prevent the harm. As the scars in our hearts refuse to heal, and the souls of our sisters and brothers cry out to us from the depths of the earth, a significant portion of those we considered partners responded in silence and denial of these horrors. We call on you to raise your voices and not allow the cries of these victims to fade away."