Israeli Report Accuses Hamas of Systematic Use of Sexual Violence on October 7, Calls for Global Legal Action
An 84-page report presented Tuesday at the Israeli President’s Residence alleges that Hamas systematically used sexual violence as a weapon of war during its October 7, 2023, assault on Israel. The findings, compiled by the Dinah Project, a legal and gender justice initiative established in the aftermath of the attack, are being hailed as the most comprehensive legal roadmap yet for prosecuting such crimes under international law.
The report, A Quest for Justice: October 7 and Beyond, was delivered to first lady Michal Herzog, who called it “shocking, painful, but necessary,” and said it would ensure “their cries are heard everywhere and justice is done.” Drawing on testimony from survivors, eyewitnesses, returned hostages, first responders, forensic analysts, and medical professionals, the document asserts that Hamas employed rape, gang rape, genital mutilation, and sexualized torture to terrorize and dehumanize Israeli civilians.
The research was led by Prof. Ruth Halperin-Kaddari, retired Judge Nava Ben-Or, and Col. (res.) Sharon Zagagi-Pinhas, who explained that traditional legal methods often fail when victims are murdered or too traumatized to testify. “Sexual crimes during war are—forgive me—a ‘perfect crime,’” said Zagagi-Pinhas. “There is so much trauma and shame unique to the crime that they often won’t talk about it.”
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To address this, the report proposes using indirect evidence and collective criminal responsibility to prosecute all participants in the October 7 attack who enabled or failed to prevent sexual violence, even if they did not carry it out themselves. The authors are calling on the Israeli judiciary, the United Nations, and the International Criminal Court to adopt this model. They also urge the UN to add Hamas to its blacklist of entities that use sexual violence as a method of warfare.
Testimony from former hostage Ilana Gritzewsky, who was abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz and held in Gaza for 55 days, featured prominently in the report and the public launch event. “They beat me. I went through hell. My bones were broken, but that didn’t compare to the psychological pain,” she said. “Almost two years later, people still ask if it really happened. I’m here to say: Yes. It happened. And it’s still happening.”
The report includes accounts from at least 15 returned hostages and witnesses, indicating patterns such as victims found bound and naked, genital mutilation, and mass rapes followed by execution. UN Special Representative Pramila Patten concluded in March 2024 that there were “reasonable grounds” to believe Hamas committed systematic sexual violence. The International Criminal Court has already issued warrants naming rape as a charge against senior Hamas officials.
Backed by international legal scholars and supported by institutions including Bar-Ilan University and the Rackman Center, the Dinah Project intends to use its findings to build a global framework for prosecuting sexual violence in war. As Herzog stated, “Sexual violence in conflict is a weapon. It is not random. It is not accidental. And it must be treated with the full weight of justice.”
