UN investigation confirms “sexual violence” in October 7 attack – Technologist

On Monday, March 4, the United Nations delivered a documented, cautious report limited to essentials, which concluded that “conflict-related sexual violence occurred in multiple locations during the 7 October attacks, including rape and gang rape.” The 23-page report also reveals the limitations of an investigation carried out under difficult conditions. Many Israeli officials had been complaining for weeks about the “silence” of international organizations concerning this type of violence.

The report stressed that the conditions under which corpses were collected, in a hurry and by groups with no forensic experience, and the cremation of many victims during the Hamas attack – the investigation speaks of around 100 burnt bodies – complicated the documentation of the crimes. Not to mention the dispersal of evidence between several agencies and actors.

The approximately 10 investigators met with officials from the Ministries of Health and Justice, the Israeli army, the intelligence services and the police force in charge of the investigations. Between January 29 and February 14, they visited four sites: the Nahal Oz military base, the Be’eri kibbutz, the site of the Nova music festival – where 360 people were killed in the Hamas attacks – and Road 232, the road running north-south along the Gaza Strip. They viewed 5,000 photos and 50 hours of video.

A wide range of abuses

This work enabled the mission to have “reasonable grounds to believe” (a standard of proof recognized by international investigative bodies) that three rapes had occurred – two women along Road 232, according to credible testimony, and another victim, near a missile shelter at the entrance to the Re’im kibbutz, according to other testimony, corroborated by digital material.

The report noted that “conflict-related sexual violence” covers a wide range of abuses: “Rape, sexual slavery, forced prostitution, forced pregnancy, forced abortion, enforced sterilization, forced marriage and any other form of sexual violence of comparable gravity perpetrated against women, men, girls, or boys that is directly or indirectly linked to a conflict.” Forced nudity and mutilation of genitalia on corpses can be considered forms of sexual violence, according to the report.

Survey limits

Such crimes are confirmed in certain locations. The viewing of photos and videos has revealed that at least 20 bodies were stripped naked, revealing genitalia, notably along Road 232, where some were tied to trees or pylons, as well as on the site of the Nova festival. The documents also reveal that at least 10 people had their wrists or legs bound, suggesting sexual abuse.

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