UN says it has “good reason to believe” that rapes were committed during October 7 attack

Based on information collected “from multiple and independent sources”the UN published a report on Monday March 4, in which it said it had “good reasons to believe” that victims of the Hamas attack on October 7 were raped, as were some hostages held in Gaza. The United Nations specifies that this violence also concerns “gang rapes in at least three places”, including the Nova festival site. However, this report does not specify the number of this sexual violence.

While the United Nations has been criticized for reacting too slowly to the rapes and sexual violence that Israel accuses Hamas of committing on October 7, the UN special representative on sexual violence in conflict, Pramila Patten, accompanied by experts, visited Israel and the West Bank for two and a half weeks at the beginning of February. Mission members were able to speak with survivors and witnesses of the October 7 attacks and members of the health services, and viewed 5,000 photos and 50 hours of footage from the attacks. Despite calls for victims of sexual violence to come forward and testify, none of them came forward.

On the other hand, they were able to speak with some of the released hostages, and collect “clear and convincing information that some have suffered various forms of conflict-related sexual violence, including rape and sexualized torture, as well as sexualized cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment”Pramila Patten said during a press conference. “We have good reason to believe that such violence is still occurring”she added.