Jewish groups demand UN action against Hamas for Oct. 7 sexual violence

The United Nations should declare Hamas’s “documented systematic weaponization of sexual violence a crime against humanity,” according to a letter published Monday from more than 60 ideologically and religiously diverse American and international Jewish organizations.

Monday is the 25th anniversary of the International Day for Elimination of Violence Against Women and the beginning of 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, which is recognized by the US.

Hadassah, Dinah Project, I Believe Israeli Women, International Council of Jewish Women, Israel Women’s Network, Jewish Women International, and the National Council of Jewish Women spearheaded the call to action, writing that the UN found compelling evidence of widespread gender-based and sexual violence against women and girls committed during the attacks on October 7.

The letter referenced the report drafted by Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict Pramila Patten, which found patterns of naked and bound female bodies, some bearing execution-style gunshot wounds to the head.

Patten’s report also found “clear and convincing information” of rape and sexualized torture being committed against hostages and evidence of sexual violence, including rape and gang rape in at least three areas surrounding the Nova festival site.

Overwhlming evidence against Hamas

The letter also said that in their own investigations, multiple independent organizations and news outlets found overwhelming evidence of Hamas’s weaponization of rape.

“Despite this overwhelming body of evidence, the UN has yet to list Hamas in the Annex to the Report of the Secretary-General as a party credibly suspected of committing or being responsible for patterns of rape or other forms of sexual violence in situations of armed conflict,” the letter said, urging the UN to add Hamas to this list “or hold the terrorist organization accountable for these crimes against humanity.”

The organizations urged the UN to take “swift action” to hold Hamas accountable and send a “clear signal to the world that sexual violence against women and girls will never be tolerated or excused.”

The UN should also “establish and encourage all states to adopt an international protocol for responding to conflict-related sexual violence when it occurs,” which would outline guidance for ensuring survivors receive timely and appropriate medical, health, and legal care.

“We urge you to take decisive action against gender-based and sexual violence in conflict by focusing your efforts on providing justice and accountability – including accountability for Hamas – to promote greater deterrence of gender-based violence in the future,” said the organizations.

“Further, we ask you to work together to develop and adopt a strong international protocol and related resolution to improve country response on conflict-related sexual violence worldwide,” the letter concluded.

In a statement, Hadassah National President Carol Ann Schwartz said holding perpetrators accountable is “critical to deterring future use of sexual violence as a weapon of war.”

“As a global humanitarian organization, Hadassah remains committed to standing up for women everywhere,” she said.International Council of Jewish Women President Lilian Grinberg echoed Schwartz, saying that Hamas’s attacks on October 7 were only “part of a larger trend of increasing acts of conflict-based violence against women and girls across the world.”

Meredith Jacobs, CEO of Jewish Women International and co-founder of I Believe Israeli Women, said the UN is telling Israeli women and women across the globe that their lives do not matter and that there is a double standard applied to Israeli women.