UN Team Uncovers Evidence of Sexual Abuse of Hostages in Gaza
A recent report by a United Nations team has shed light on the distressing issue of sexual abuse of hostages in Gaza. Pramila Patten, the UN special envoy on sexual violence in conflict, revealed that the team had discovered “clear and convincing” information regarding ongoing sexual violence against hostages. The report also highlighted instances of conflict-related sexual violence, including rape and gang rape, during Hamas’ terror attack in Israel on October 7.
The UN team, led by Patten, conducted a mission from January 29 to February 14, aiming to gather and verify information on conflict-related sexual violence during and after the October 7 attack. The team visited Israel and Ramallah in the occupied West Bank to investigate allegations of cruel and degrading treatment, including various forms of sexual violence, inflicted upon Palestinians in detention.
Patten emphasized that the mission was not investigative in nature but involved 33 meetings with Israeli institutions, interviews with survivors and witnesses, and the review of 50 hours of attack footage. However, despite their efforts, the team was unable to meet with any victims of sexual violence on October 7 due to specialized trauma treatment preventing their participation.
Hamas, the Palestinian resistance group, has previously denied allegations of rape during the October 7 attack. In a statement released on Telegram in December, Hamas’ political office condemned Western media outlets for promoting “unfounded lies and allegations aimed at demonizing the Palestinian resistance.”
The report presented findings from various locations in Israel, revealing that several partially or fully naked bodies, mostly women, were recovered with their hands tied and multiple gunshot wounds, often to the head. While circumstantial, this pattern of undressing and restraining victims suggests the possibility of sexual violence.
Patten highlighted that grave violations, primarily involving rape, were identified in at least three locations: the Nova music festival site and its surroundings, Road 232, and Kibbutz Re’im. However, the mission faced challenges in gathering and verifying incidents of sexual violence due to limited forensic material and inaccurate forensic interpretation by non-professionals at the crime scenes.
The research conducted by the UN team was further constrained by the scarcity of victims, survivors, and witnesses of sexual violence. Internal displacement of affected communities, lack of public trust in national and international institutions, including the UN, contributed to the limited availability of individuals willing to come forward.
The report also addressed allegations that were determined to be unfounded, including an unverified claim of a gruesome attack on a pregnant woman and her fetus. Additionally, the reported case of rape in Nahal Oz military base and genital mutilation could not be verified. However, the report did mention that seven female soldiers were abducted from this base into Gaza.
During their visit to the West Bank, the mission learned about the cruel and degrading treatment faced by Palestinian detainees. Palestinian women and men reported various forms of sexual violence, such as unwanted touching of intimate areas, forced unveiling of women wearing Hijab, beatings in genital areas, and threats of rape against women and their female family members.
The report also raised concerns about the circulation of pictures of women detainees and the deprivation of menstruation products. CNN has reached out to the Israel Defense Forces for comment on these allegations.
As this story continues to develop, further updates will be provided. The UN team’s findings shed light on the urgent need for action to address sexual violence in conflict zones and ensure justice for the victims.