A UN team has reported "convincing information" indicating that hostages in Gaza have experienced sexual violence such as rape and sexualized torture.
The United Nations stated there was reason to believe the abuse was still going on. When Hamas assaulted Israel on October 7, the UN team additionally found "reasonable grounds to believe" that sexual violence, including gang rape, had occurred, as per BBC News.
UN Exposes Hamas' Sexual Violence
EL AVIV, ISRAEL - OCTOBER 26: A member of the public looks at a wall displaying pictures of people still held hostage in Gaza, on October 26, 2023 in Tel Aviv, Israel. In the wake of the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas that left an estimated 1,400 dead and 200 kidnapped, Israel launched a sustained bombardment of the Gaza Strip and threatened a ground invasion to vanquish the militant group that governs the Palestinian territory. But the fate of the hostages, Israelis and foreign nationals who are being held by Hamas in Gaza, as well as international pressure over the humanitarian situation in Gaza, have complicated Israel's military response to the attacks. A timeline for a proposed ground invasion remains unclear.
The UN Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, has disclosed disturbing details of sexual violence that occurred during and after the October 7 attacks in Israel and the West Bank. Patten's nine-member technical team, on a visit from January 29 to February 14, gathered evidence based on first-hand accounts of released hostages.
The report, released nearly five months after the October 7 attacks, highlights the grave situation, with around 1,200 deaths and 250 individuals taken hostage during the violence. Israel's subsequent war against Hamas has wreaked havoc on the Gaza Strip, resulting in the deaths of over 30,000 people, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. The UN warns that a quarter of Gaza's 2.3 million population is now facing the threat of starvation.
Patten stressed that the purpose of her team's visit was not to investigate allegations of sexual violence but to collect, analyze, and verify information for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' annual report on sexual violence in conflict and for the UN Security Council.
One important suggestion from Patten is to encourage Israel to provide access to the UN human rights chief and the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Palestinian territories and Israel, enabling them to carry out comprehensive investigations into the reported violations. She conveyed optimism that the Security Council would approve this plan.
During the press conference, Patten noted the team's inability to meet with victims of sexual violence, despite efforts to encourage them to come forward. The number of victims remains unknown, but Patten revealed that some undergoing treatment are experiencing severe mental distress and trauma.
The team conducted 33 meetings with Israeli institutions and interviewed 34 individuals, including survivors, witnesses, health providers, and others. Patten disclosed that there are reasonable grounds to believe that conflict-related sexual violence occurred during the October 7 attacks in multiple locations across Gaza, including rape and gang rape, according to Daily Mail.
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US Links Ceasefire Support to Hostage Release
The report indicates a distressing pattern of undressing and restraining victims, potentially indicative of sexual violence. Specific locations, such as the Nova music festival site, witnessed multiple incidents of sexual violence, including rape and gang rape, with victims killed during or after the assaults.
On Road 232, used by those fleeing the festival, witness accounts describe the rape of two women by armed elements, with several bodies found with genital injuries. The team also found a pattern of bound naked or partially naked bodies along Road 232.
The situation at Kibbutz Reim suggests 'reasonable grounds' to believe sexual violence occurred, and the mission team verified the rape of a woman outside a bomb shelter. At Kibbutz Be'eri, allegations of sexual violence were debunked, but further investigation is needed for other cases. Kibbutz Kfar Aza presented challenges in verifying sexual violence, but circumstantial information indicates potential occurrences.
Patten emphasized that the true prevalence of sexual violence during the October 7 attacks and their aftermath may take months or years to emerge, and the team received information about sexual violence against Palestinian men and women in various settings, including detention, house raids, and checkpoints.
The US has emphasized the association between the Security Council backing for a ceasefire and the liberation of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. Joe Biden, the US President, claimed that the decision to accept a ceasefire deal lies with Hamas as negotiations persist without any progress. The US has historically supported Israel at the UN but has recently chosen not to vote on some resolutions intended to help Gaza.
Calls for further investigations and steps to resolve the alleged infractions are growing as the world community deals with the severity of the situation. The aftermath of the recent events and the ongoing conflict highlight the pressing need for accountability and actions to avoid future tragedies, Reuters reported.
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