Israeli Experts Find Hamas Used Sexual Violence Systematically in October 7 Attack

A two-year investigation by Israeli human rights experts has concluded that sexual and gender-based violence was a systematic, widespread, and integral part of Hamas's October 7, 2023 terrorist attack on Israel. The findings, released by a non-governmental group of human rights specialists, documented extreme sexual violence during the assault that killed over 1,200 people. The October 7, 2023 attack marked the deadliest assault on Israeli civilians in the country's history, when Palestinian militants from Hamas breached the Gaza border and carried out coordinated attacks on Israeli communities, military bases, and a music festival. The investigation's findings add to the growing body of evidence about the scale and nature of atrocities committed during the attack, which also resulted in approximately 240 people being taken hostage to Gaza.