A team of international officials under the auspices of the UN came to Israel to verify reports of rapes of women during the Hamas invasion on October 7. This was reported by The New York Times (NYT). The Israeli government has repeatedly cited evidence of sexual violence by Gaza militants against civilians in the Jewish state.
The UN Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Pramila Patten, said the team will collect testimonies from victims, witnesses and freed hostages to document all cases of rape. The UN will conduct a thorough review and determine what measures need to be taken to help victims, Patten said. Within the mission, there is a plan to create a program under the control of the Security Council (SC) to implement “justice and accountability.”
NYT journalists note that Western media, including The Guardian and The Times, have published recorded cases of sexual violence against Israeli women and minor girls. According to witnesses to the crimes, Hamas militants first raped and then killed their victims.
The NYT also reported more than 30 cases of women being abused during the invasion. The Hamas leadership rejected all accusations.
Hamas attacked Israel on October 7 last year. In response to the aggression, Benjamin Netanyahu’s government announced a military operation in the Gaza Strip to ensure Israel’s security. Netanyahu later said that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) would destroy the entire Hamas group and establish a security control regime in Gaza.
Source: Rosbalt
Mario Twitchell is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his insightful and thought-provoking writing on a wide range of topics including general and opinion. He currently works as a writer at 247 news agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
