'The time for silence is over': Experts condemn Hamas's sexual violence and attacks on women

An event hosted in the European Parliament on Tuesday discussed the “dire” state of women’s rights in the Middle East since Hamas’s October 7 attacks, according to the event’s co-sponsor, The Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy (ISGAP).

During the event, experts testified that the same forces seeking to attack the Jewish people were abusing women throughout the Middle East.

“Today, the forces attacking Jewish people are the same ones oppressing women across the Middle East. If the world continues to turn a blind eye, we embolden these regimes and open the door to more atrocities,” Dr. Charles Asher Small explained.

Co-sponsor MEP Fulvio Martusciello and several leading experts in the field, including Dr. Small, Executive Director of ISGAP, Claude Moniquet, Prof. Firouzeh Nahavandi, and MEPs Lopez-Isturiz White, Miriam Lexmann, and Giuseppina Princi, spoke at the event. 

The event discussions were moderated by Manel Msalmi, President of the European Association for the Defense of Minorities, a leading advocate for women’s and minority rights in some of the most oppressive regions.

Dr. Small, commenting on Hamas’s large-scale attack that kickstarted the current war, said: “The October 7 attack was not just an assault on Israel but on the core values we claim to uphold—human rights, equality, and dignity. The brutal murders and abductions of Israeli women by Hamas should have sparked global outrage, yet we faced silence or, worse, justifications disguised as resistance. This is a profound moral failure. 

“When academics and leaders rationalize the murder and rape of Israeli women, they not only betray the victims but legitimize gender-based violence as a weapon of war. This failure is exacerbated by the appeasement of regimes like Qatar, Iran, and the Taliban.”

The role of Qatar and Iran

Drawing attention to the role of Doha, who has been an instrumental player in ceasefire-hostage deal negotiations, Dr. Small said, “Qatar funds radical movements and Iranian-backed proxies while suppressing women’s rights, all while posing as a global player. In Afghanistan, women can no longer speak publicly, let alone access education, and the world remains silent.

“ Antisemitism, as history shows, begins with Jews but never ends there. Today, the forces attacking Jewish people are the same ones oppressing women, Christians, and moderate Muslims across the Middle East. If the world continues to turn a blind eye, we embolden these regimes and open the door to more atrocities globally."

Manel Msalmi, President of the European Association for the Defense of Minorities, added, "As we reflect on the horrors of the October 7 attacks, it is impossible to ignore the gendered nature of the violence. Women were not only targeted for their identity but also their gender, subjected to unspeakable brutality designed to dehumanize and terrorize. This kind of gender-based violence is a stark reminder of the oppressive forces that continue to plague women across the Middle East. Whether in Iran, Afghanistan, or Gaza, women are systematically silenced, subjugated, and stripped of their most basic rights. 

“It is disheartening that the international community has largely failed to respond with the urgency and outrage these atrocities demand. We cannot claim to stand for women’s rights, equality, or human dignity if we turn a blind eye to such barbarism. The time for silence is over. We must stand in solidarity with the women who suffer under these oppressive regimes and speak out against the violence that has been normalized in too many parts of the world.”

During the October attack, Hamas murdered some 1200 people and abducted over 250 more. The terror group used acts of sexual violence during the massacre, as confirmed by a UN report, acknowledgments by captured terrorists, and survivor statements. Released hostages have testified to having been subjected to sexual assault in captivity, with some recounting how terrorists would tell them they would be converted to Islam and married off to their captors.