An independent Israeli investigation reveals that Hamas employed systematic sexual violence during and after the October 7, 2023, assault on Israel. The attack claimed at least 1,200 lives and led to the abduction of numerous individuals by 5,000 to 6,000 Palestinian militants, mainly from Hamas and other armed groups, who breached the border via land, sea, and air in coordinated strikes near Gaza.
Findings of the Investigation
The Civil Commission on Crimes by Hamas Against Women and Children determines that the sexual violence was widespread, systematic, and central to the assaults. Across various sites and stages—including abductions, transfers, and captivity—Hamas operatives and collaborators used repeated methods of sexual abuse and torture against victims.
“Following a two-year independent probe, the Civil Commission concludes that sexual and gender-based violence was systematic, widespread, and integral to the October 7 attacks and their aftermath,” the report states.
The analysis draws from 430 interviews with survivors, eyewitnesses, released hostages, medical professionals, first responders, and relatives. Investigators examined over 10,000 photographs and video clips, incorporating direct accounts from more than 10 survivors who suffered severe sexual violence during the assault, abduction, or detention in Gaza.
Public testimonies from former hostages, including Romi Gonen, Rom Braslavski, Arbel Yehud, Amit Soussana, and Ilana Gritzewsky, highlight their traumatic experiences.
Harrowing Eyewitness Accounts
The report documents three distinct rape incidents at the Nova Music Festival site near the Gaza border. A survivor hiding nearby recounts: “I heard one rape where they were passing her around. She was probably injured, judging by her screams—screams you have never heard anywhere.”
October 7, 2023: The Assault Unfolds
Hamas militants shattered Israel’s fortified border fence and invaded from Gaza, unleashing what stands as the deadliest civilian attack in Israeli history at the open-air Nova music festival. Gunfire targeted thousands of festivalgoers, resulting in approximately 1,200 deaths and the kidnapping of 251 hostages, many transported into Gaza.
