UN Warns of Rape Incidents During Hamas Attack on Israel

A team of experts from the United Nations reported today, Monday, that there are "reasonable grounds to believe" that acts of sexual violence, including rape and group rape, occurred in several locations during the attack carried out by Hamas militants on Israel on October 7th. The 24-page UN report stated: "Reliable circumstantial information has been gathered that may indicate the occurrence of some forms of sexual violence, including genital mutilation or sexual abuse as a means of torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment." The Palestinian group Hamas has repeatedly denied allegations of sexual violence. The UN team also reported receiving information from institutional sources, civil society sources, and through direct interviews concerning "sexual violence against Palestinian men and women in detention, during home raids, and at checkpoints" after October 7th. The team, led by the UN Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Pramila Patten, visited Israel from January 29 to February 14, undertaking a mission aimed at gathering, analyzing, and verifying information regarding sexual violence in the attacks of October 7th.