Submission of the Institute for NGO Research: Prevention of Genocide: Need to Address Antisemitic Incitement in the Human Rights System

Full Article

Click to view the full submission

[Excerpts]

Certain UN Special Experts and NGOs have also systematically covered up and minimized genocidal actions that took place on October 7, specifically actions of widespread sexual violence. Survivors of the barbaric October 7 attack have reported witnessing the brutal raping of women and Hamas has published horrific images on social media showing members of Hamas engaging in sexual assault. Women and girls were paraded naked through the streets of Gaza while onlookers cheered. In one viral video, the near-naked and bloodied body of an Israeli German woman who was abducted from a music festival who was later declared dead is seen being paraded through the streets of Gaza in the back of a pickup truck. According to rescue units, there were “bodies of women and girls raped with such violence that their pelvic bones were broken.” Testimony from captured Hamas terrorists revealed they were ordered to rape whoever they came across, and found amongst the bodies of Hamas terrorists was an Arabic-Hebrew transliteration glossary with sexual terminology, including “take your pants off.” 

Unfortunately, international women’s organizations and the United Nations have been relatively silent on the brutality faced by Israeli women during Hamas’ war crimes. Nearly two months after the brutal rampage and only following widespread condemnation for her silence did the UN Women executive director first mention she was “alarmed by disturbing reports of gender-based and sexual violence,” failing to mention Hamas or Israeli victims. After only more condemnation and two more weeks did UN Women issue a statement condemning Hamas’ use of sexual violence. Likewise, the UN Secretary General didn’t condemn the sexual violence against Israeli women until eight weeks after the atrocities.