UN believes Hamas committed violations in attacks in Israel – DW – 03/04/2024

“There are good reasons to believe” that some of the hostages were raped during attacks by the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas in Israel on October 7, and later taken to Gaza, the United Nations said in a report this Monday (04.03). Was also sexually harassed. .2024).

The United Nations Special Representative on Sexual Violence in the Conflict, Pramila Patton, received “clear and concrete information” that some hostages, including gangs, had been raped, and “this type of violence may continue”, including those still held. .

Accompanied by experts, Patton toured Israel and the West Bank for two and a half weeks in early February.

“The mission team found that there is good reason to believe that conflict-related sexual violence, including rape and gang rape, was committed at multiple locations during the October 7 attacks,” the report said.

Genital mutilation, sexual harassment and cruel treatment

The 24-page UN report said, “Credible circumstantial information was collected that may indicate some forms of sexual violence, including genital mutilation, sexual harassment or cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment.”

Patton said that at several locations the team found “many bodies recovered completely naked or partially naked from the waist down, mostly women, who had their hands tied and had been shot multiple times, often in the head.” In.”

Although this is circumstantial, he said the pattern of disarming and restraining victims “may be indicative of some forms of sexual violence.”

The victims were first raped and then murdered

These incidents occurred in at least three locations: in and around the location where the Nova music festival was taking place, on Highway 232, and at the Reim Kibbutz.

“In the majority of these incidents, the victims were first raped and then murdered,” according to the report, which also said that “there are other accounts of people who raped female corpses.” Saw at least two incidents.”

Although he asked victims of sexual violence to come forward and testify, no one wanted to do so. However, members of the mission managed to interview survivors and witnesses of the events of 7 October, and members of the health services.

They had access to 5,000 photographs of the moment of the attack, 50 hours of video and interviews with some of the released hostages.

AFP/AP/REUTERS/ONU/RR