According to a United Nations report published on Monday, March 4, there are “reasonable reasons to believe” that victims of the Hamas attack on 7 October 2023 suffered sexual violence, as did some hostages held in the Gaza Strip, theFrench media agency.
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The Special Representative for Sexual Violence in Conflict, Pramila Pattentogether with experts, they visited Israel and the West Bank in early February, for two and a half weeks, to gather information on sexual violence committed by Hamas.
“ Clear and convincing information »
The report was carried out based on the information collected “ from multiple and independent sources “, affirms that it exists” good reasons to believe that conflict-related sexual violence occurred during the October 7 attack in several locations on the outskirts of [la bande de] Gaza, including rapes and gang rapes, in at least three locations”including the site of the Nova festival where the attack took place on October 7, the report read by the specifiesAFP.
Despite calls for victims of sexual violence to come forward and testify, none of them have come forward. However, members of the United Nations mission were able to speak with survivors and witnesses of the October 7 attacks, as well as with members of the health services. They were also based on 5,000 photos and fifty hours of images of the attacks.
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The UN team was able to speak to some of the freed hostages and collect them “clear and convincing information that some of them have suffered various forms of conflict-related sexual violence, including sexual rape and torture, as well as cruel, inhuman and degrading sexual treatment”Pramila Patten said at a press conference. “We have good reason to believe that such violence is still ongoing”, she added. The mission, given its short duration, did not have the opportunity to establish the “prevalence” sexual violence during the October 7 attacks.
“The true prevalence of sexual violence during the October 7 attacks (…) may take months or even years to emerge, and may never be truly known”concludes the UN report, reports theFrench media agency.
The report also calls on Israeli authorities to do so “allow access” a mission of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Independent Commission of Inquiry on the Palestinian Territoriesdrive “thorough investigations into all allegations of violations, to be integrated and deepened” the results of Pramila Patten’s mission.
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Source: Madmoizelle
Mary Crossley is an author at “The Fashion Vibes”. She is a seasoned journalist who is dedicated to delivering the latest news to her readers. With a keen sense of what’s important, Mary covers a wide range of topics, from politics to lifestyle and everything in between.
