Hamas October 7 Attack: New Report Alleges Sexual Violence And Gang Rape Was Used as a Deliberate Tool of Terror

A newly released investigation has alleged that sexual violence and rape were intentionally used by Hamas militants during the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel as a calculated tactic to spread fear and psychological trauma across Israeli society, not just among direct victims.

The 300-page report, titled Silenced No More, was prepared by the Civil Commission on October 7, Crimes by Hamas against Women and Children, an Israeli body formed to document atrocities linked to the attack.

Investigators compiled the findings after conducting more than 430 interviews with survivors, witnesses, released hostages, and victims’ relatives, while also examining over 10,000 photographs and video clips.

According to the report, around 5,600 Hamas fighters and other Palestinian militants crossed from Gaza into Israel on October 7, killing nearly 1,200 people and abducting 251 others.

Investigators said they identified at least 13 different forms of sexual violence allegedly committed during the assault, including rape, gang rape, torture, mutilation, and abuse carried out in front of family members.

The report claims that both women and men were among the victims.

Witnesses from the Nova music festival recounted horrifying scenes in which victims were allegedly sexually assaulted before being killed.

Male survivors and witnesses also described incidents involving severe sexual abuse and torture.

Several testimonies stated that attackers appeared to show no remorse, with some allegedly laughing during the assaults.

The investigation further alleges that abuse continued during captivity in Gaza.

Female hostages reportedly described sexual violence while being held, and some accounts claimed that relatives detained together were forced into humiliating acts against one another.

One of the report’s main conclusions is that sexual violence was not isolated or random, but rather a deliberate part of the wider attack strategy.

“The scale, coordination, and repetition of the conduct demonstrate a widespread and systematic attack against civilians in which sexual violence was deliberately used as a method of terror,” the report states.

Investigators also accused the attackers of filming many of the alleged crimes and circulating the footage online, including sending videos directly to victims’ families.

The commission described this as another layer of psychological warfare aimed at spreading fear and trauma far beyond the immediate attack sites.

Dr. Cochav Elkayam-Levy, the commission’s founding chair and an expert in international law, said the violence reflected what she described as an attempt to humiliate and terrorise Israelis on a national level.

“What we have witnessed is deep hatred to humiliate us and terrorise us as a people, as a nation,” she said.

The commission concluded that the alleged acts amount to war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocidal acts under international law. It recommended that Israeli authorities pursue prosecutions specifically related to sexual and gender-based crimes.

In a related move, Israel’s parliament recently approved legislation to establish a special tribunal dedicated to prosecuting those accused of involvement in the October 7 attacks, with sexual violence charges explicitly included.

Dr. Elkayam-Levy said the report was also driven by concerns over early denials and disputes surrounding allegations of abuse in some international forums, including discussions linked to the United Nations.

She stressed the importance of preserving testimony and evidence before it could be challenged or lost.

“We have worked to preserve this evidence within a dedicated war crimes archive to ensure their voices are heard and that the world knows what happened,” she said.

The report has received support from several international figures, including former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former Canadian justice minister Irwin Cotler.

The commission said it plans to present the findings to governments and parliaments around the world.

“Our conclusion is unequivocal,” the report states. “Sexual and gender-based violence formed a central component of the October 7 attack and of hostages’ captivity.”