UN Women finally condemns Hamas attacks, sexual violence on October 7

The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, or UN Women, has condemned the Hamas October 7 massacre in a Friday statement, nearly two months after the terrorist organization’s brutal rampage of rape, murder, and kidnappings.

“We unequivocally condemn the brutal attacks by Hamas on Israel on October 7,” UN Women wrote. “We are alarmed by the numerous accounts of gender-based atrocities and sexual violence during those attacks.”

We reiterate that all women, Israeli women, Palestinian women, as all others, are entitled to a life lived in safety and free from violence.Read our full statement: https://t.co/gbvae3l8kl pic.twitter.com/b0LZutlJmI

— UN Women (@UN_Women) December 2, 2023

The women’s rights organization made a similar statement in late November condemning the Hamas attacks, but quickly deleted the post.

Earlier, on November 8, UN Women made an X post highlighting Isra al-Modallal, the first female spokesperson for Hamas.

International women’s organizations have been roundly criticized by Jewish, Israeli, and other groups since October 7 for their relative silence on the brutality faced by Israeli women during Hamas’s rampage in southern Israel.

On Saturday, after the UN Women statement condemning Hamas, Foreign Minister Eli Cohen took to X to slam the UN women’s organization.

“The conduct of UN Women, as well as the UN Secretary-General and other UN agencies, since the October 7 massacre, is disgraceful.,” Cohen wrote. “UN Women’s message is weak and late when it comes after almost two months of silence and ignoring the war crimes, crimes against humanity, and sexual crimes committed by the terrorist organization, Hamas.”

Cohen called on UN Women Executive Director, Sima Bahous, to resign.

Backlash for ignoring Jewish victims of sexual assualt

The initial reaction from UN Women to Hamas’s attack came on October 7 from Bahous, who took to X to write, “The escalation of hostilities in #Israel & the Occupied Palestinian Territory #OPT is gravely concerning. It is imperative that all civilians, including women & girls, are protected.”

ההתנהלות של ארגון UNwomen, כמו גם מזכ״ל האו״ם וסוכנויות או״ם נוספות, מאז טבח השבעה באוקטובר היא מחפירה. ההודעה של UNwomen רופסת ומאוחרת כשבאה לאחר כמעט חודשיים של שתיקה והתעלמות מפשעי המלחמה, הפשעים נגד האנושות והפשעים המיניים שביצע ארגון הטרור חמאס. ההצעה להעביר את החקירה…

— אלי כהן | Eli Cohen (@elicoh1) December 2, 2023

Bahaus proceeded to call for “immediate de-escalation,” but did not name, or assign any blame, to Hamas.Not until nearly two weeks later did UN Women first make an X post wherein the organization called for a release of the hostages taken by Hamas.

Infographics videos highlighting the sentiment of neglect and betrayal felt by many Israeli women, such as one posted to the Instagram account “tiroche_art_auctions,” have gone viral in recent weeks on social media.

Trends, such as the X hashtag, #metoo_unless_ur_a_jew, have likewise been spread to underscore the perceived apathy on behalf of leading women’s organizations to the sexual assaults endured by Israeli women.