Hamas Used Sexual Violence as Part of 'Genocidal Strategy', Israeli Experts Claim
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A group of Israeli legal and gender experts, known as the Dinah Project, has released a report alleging that Hamas employed sexual violence as a deliberate tactic during the 7 October 2023 attack on Israel. The report, published on Tuesday, describes the use of sexual violence as part of a "genocidal strategy" aimed at terrorising and dehumanising Israeli society.
The Dinah Project, founded by legal scholar Ruth Halperin-Kaddar, lawyer Sharon Zagagi-Pinhas, and former judge Nava Ben-Or, reviewed evidence including first-hand testimony from a survivor of an attempted rape, accounts from 15 former hostages held in Gaza, and statements from witnesses to sexual assaults. The report details incidents of rape, gang rape, sexualised torture, forced nudity, and harassment, with many cases reported at the Nova music festival, as well as other locations such as the Nahal Oz military base and Route 232. According to the report, a female survivor of the Nova festival attack recounted an attempted rape and sexual assault, while a former hostage described being forced to perform a sexual act following abuse and harassment. Other hostages reported verbal and physical harassment, including unwanted contact and threats of forced marriage. Two male hostages also described experiencing forced nudity and physical abuse. The report cites accounts from witnesses and first responders, noting "widespread and systematic" sexual violence on 7 October, with specific cases of gang rape, severe sexual assaults, and mutilation. It claims that many victims were killed or left too traumatised to speak, making prosecution challenging. To address this, the Dinah Project proposes a "legal blueprint" for prosecuting such crimes, even when direct evidence or individual perpetrators cannot be identified. This includes an evidentiary framework and a legal approach to establish criminal responsibility in mass attacks. The report aligns with a March 2024 UN mission finding "reasonable grounds" to believe that conflict-related sexual violence, including rape and gang rape, occurred during the 7 October attack, with hostages also subjected to sexual violence. The International Criminal Court’s prosecutor has also accused three assassinated Hamas leaders of crimes against humanity, including rape. Hamas has denied allegations of sexual violence by its forces or mistreatment of hostages. The 7 October attack saw hundreds of Hamas and allied Palestinian fighters kill around 1,200 people and take 251 hostages in southern Israel. Israel’s subsequent military campaign in Gaza has resulted in over 57,500 deaths, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry. The Dinah Project’s report calls for justice, not only for the victims but to reinforce that sexual violence in conflict is a serious violation of international law, urging accountability to prevent impunity.