Report Alleges Hamas Utilized Sexual Violence as a Weapon in October Attack

The Dinah Project's report, based on survivor testimony and witness accounts, outlines heinous acts of sexual violence linked to Hamas, framing them as part of a genocidal plan. The group's legal experts call for accountability while suggesting a global framework for prosecuting such war crimes.

In a shocking revelation, a report by the Dinah Project alleges that Hamas used sexual violence as a "part of a deliberate genocidal strategy" during its October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. The all-women group comprising legal and gender experts has called for justice for the victims of these atrocities.

The report outlines a collection of evidence, including firsthand testimonies from survivors of sexual assaults—specifically highlighting incidents that occurred during the Nova music festival—and accounts from 15 former hostages held in Gaza. According to the findings, the report serves as a legal framework for prosecuting these crimes, even when direct connections to specific perpetrators are untraceable.

Hamas has vehemently denied the allegations that its forces committed sexual violence against women and mistreated female hostages. However, a UN mission's investigation conducted in March 2024 indicated "reasonable grounds" to believe that sexual violence related to the conflict occurred during the October attack. Multiple instances of rape and gang rape were reported, with credible information suggesting that hostages were subjected to violent sexual acts, including sexualized torture.

On October 7, Hamas and allied armed groups launched a large-scale assault on southern Israel, resulting in approximately 1,200 fatalities and 251 individuals taken hostage. Israel retaliated with military action in Gaza, leading to significant casualties, with reports indicating over 57,500 deaths according to Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry.

The Dinah Project, established following the October assault by legal scholar Ruth Halperin-Kaddar, lawyer and former chief military prosecutor Sharon Zagagi-Pinhas, and former judge and deputy attorney general Nava Ben-Or, is dedicated to pursuing justice for victims of sexual violence. Their report, released Tuesday, asserts that Hamas employed sexual violence as a tactical weapon to instill terror and dehumanize Israeli society.

The authors analyzed extensive sources, including social media, recorded testimonies, and forensic evidence. One survivor from the Nova festival recounted an attempted rape, while a former hostage detailed being coerced into performing sexual acts, amidst threats of forced marriage and sexual abuse. Furthermore, nearly all hostages reported experiencing some form of verbal or physical harassment.

The report classified the reported incidents of sexual violence as widespread and systematic, with accounts of gang rapes and other severe abuses across multiple locations on October 7. Witnesses corroborated instances of sexual violence at the Nova festival and other sites, while first responders documented cases displaying clear signs of sexual abuse.

The report emphasizes the grim reality that many victims have been permanently silenced, either through death or trauma. It outlines a pioneering legal approach aimed at prosecuting sexual violence as a weapon of war, even amid challenges such as chaotic evidence and the absence of survivors.

Concluding the report, the authors stress the necessity of justice not only for individual victims but as a vital affirmation of accountability against such grave violations of international law. They assert that a unified international commitment is essential to ensure that perpetrators are held accountable and that atrocities of this nature are not permitted to occur with impunity.