UNITED NATIONS. The U.N. envoy focusing on sexual violence in conflict, Pramila Patten, unveiled a distressing report on Monday, indicating “reasonable grounds” to believe that Hamas perpetrated rape, sexualized torture, and other atrocities against women during its unexpected assault in southern Israel on Oct. 7.
Patten, who led a nine-member technical team during her visit to Israel and the West Bank from Jan. 29 to Feb. 14, presented findings based on first-hand accounts from released hostages. She stated, “We found clear and convincing information that some women and children during their captivity were subjected to the same conflict-related sexual violence including rape and sexualized torture.”
The report arrives nearly five months after the Oct. 7 attacks, which resulted in approximately 1,200 casualties and the abduction of around 250 individuals. Israel’s subsequent conflict with Hamas has left Gaza in ruins, claiming over 30,000 lives, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The U.N. has sounded alarms, indicating that a quarter of Gaza’s 2.3 million inhabitants face starvation.
During a press conference launching the report, Patten emphasized that the team’s objective was not to investigate allegations of sexual violence but to collect, assess, and verify data for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ annual report on sexual violence in conflict and for the U.N. Security Council.
Patten’s primary recommendation urges Israel to grant access to the U.N. human rights chief and the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Palestinian territories and Israel “to carry out full-fledged investigations into the alleged violations.” She expressed hope that the Security Council would endorse this initiative.
The mission team, although unable to directly meet with victims of sexual violence, conducted 33 meetings with Israeli institutions and interviewed 34 individuals, including survivors, witnesses of the Oct. 7 attacks, released hostages, and healthcare providers.
Based on the gathered information, Patten concluded, “there are reasonable grounds to believe that conflict-related sexual violence occurred during the 7 October attacks in multiple locations across Gaza periphery, including rape and gang rape, in at least three locations.”
She described disturbing scenes of violence, mentioning instances of fully or partially naked bodies, predominantly women, discovered with hands bound and shot multiple times. Such patterns, she noted, hint at potential sexual violence.
Patten also highlighted incidents at the Nova music festival, where multiple cases of sexual violence were reported, including rape and gang rape followed by murder. Despite challenges in verification, she stressed the urgency of thorough investigations.
The report underscores the need for further scrutiny into the allegations of sexual violence and emphasizes the prolonged repercussions on survivors’ mental well-being. It urges a comprehensive effort to uncover the true extent of sexual violence during the Oct. 7 attacks and their aftermath, acknowledging that the full scope may take years to unveil.
Additionally, Patten disclosed information received about sexual violence against Palestinian men and women in detention settings, house raids, and at checkpoints, amplifying concerns over widespread human rights abuses in the region.
The revelations add a chilling dimension to the already grim reality of conflict in the Middle East, underscoring the urgent need for accountability and justice to prevent further atrocities.
