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A UN report released on Monday stated that there was “convincing information” suggesting Palestinian militant group Hamas engaged in sexual violence during the attacks against Israel on October 7.
Investigators, however, were unable to verify some claims and said a “fully fledged investigation” would be required to establish the overall magnitude, scope and specific attribution for the sexual violence.
“The mission team found clear and convincing information that some hostages taken to Gaza have been subjected to various forms of conflict-related sexual violence and has reasonable grounds to believe that such violence may be ongoing,” the 24-page UN report said.
Hamas has repeatedly rejected accusations it took part in sexual violence during the attack.
Pramila Patten, special representative of the Secretary General on sexual violence in conflict, who recently returned from a trip to Israel, told reporters in New York that the team had found that there are “reasonable grounds” that violence including rape and gang rape occurred in at least three locations.
She said women had been raped and killed. The team also found a recurring pattern of victims found fully or partially undressed, bound and shot, “often in the head”.
The mission to Israel, led by Ms Patten, was conducted over a period of two and a half weeks from January 29 to February 14, and was not meant to be “investigative in nature” but to “gather, analyse and verify” allegations against Hamas.
Hostages leave Gaza and Palestinian detainees leave jail – in pictures
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Rawda Abu Ajamieh is greeted by relatives and friends in the occupied West Bank after her release from Israeli detention as part of a temporary truce deal in the Gaza war. AFP -
Hamas militants release some hostages to the International Committee of the Red Cross as part of the deal. Reuters -
Hamas freed 13 Israeli hostages under the deal, which has brought a pause of fighting in the Israel-Gaza war. AFP -
A Thai woman who was among the hostages released, before being taken to the Shamir Medical Centre in Israel. AP -
The 10 freed Thai hostages at the Shamir Medical Centre. They were seized during the attack on Israel on October 7. AP -
Some of the hostages held by Hamas are handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross in Gaza. AFP -
The exchange was part of a temporary truce deal that took effect in Gaza on November 24. AFP -
Palestinian detainees released under the deal are carried along a street in Baytunia, in the occupied West Bank. AFP -
The Palestinians are among 39 released from Israeli jails under the agreement between Hamas and Israel. AFP -
Fireworks light up the sky as Palestinians celebrate the release of the detainees, in the occupied West Bank. AFP -
A Palestinian is greeted by her family in Baytunia after being freed from jail. AFP -
Palestinians released by Israel are carried along a street as crowds celebrate. AFP -
Freed detainee Hanin Barghouti, centre, speaks to loved ones. AFP -
The group of Israeli hostages were handed over to aid workers, before being taken to Israel's military. Reuters -
Nour Al Taher in Baytunia after her release from an Israeli prison, as part of a deal that brought a pause of the fighting in Gaza. AFP -
Fatima Amarneh is welcomed by loved ones, near Jenin in the West Bank, after leaving jail. Reuters -
The released Palestinian detainees comprised 24 women and 15 children. AFP -
Palestinians in Beitonia, near Ramallah, celebrate the release of the group from Israeli detention. EPA -
Medical workers at Israel's Schneider-Children's Medical Centre receive some of the hostages released by Hamas. EPA -
An Israeli helicopter with released hostages lands at the medical centre in Tel Aviv. AFP -
Family and friends gather as a helicopter arrives with hostages released by Hamas. Getty Images -
Israelis look on as a helicopter with released hostages prepares to land in Tel Aviv. AFP -
Crowds in the West Bank celebrate the arrival of Palestinians released from Israeli jails. EPA -
Marah Bakir, right, was among the first Palestinian detainees to be released by Israeli authorities in a swap between Israel and Hamas. AP -
Released Palestinian detainees leave jail near Ramallah in the occupied West Bank. Reuters -
Ms Bakir is reunited with her family through the swap deal between Hamas and Israel. Reuters -
Ms Bakir embraces a family member after her release. Reuters -
Ms Bakir with a family member in Jerusalem. Reuters -
A vehicle carrying hostages abducted by Hamas arrives at the Rafah border crossing amid a hostage-prisoner swap deal between the militant group and Israel. Reuters -
The hostages had been held in Gaza since the Hamas attack of October 7. Reuters -
A vehicle carrying hostages. Reuters -
An International Red Cross vehicle reportedly carrying Israeli hostages released by Hamas crosses the Rafah border point in the Gaza Strip towards Egypt. AFP -
The hostages will be taken to Israel and reunited with their families. AFP -
Under the temporary truce agreement with Israel, Hamas will release at least 50 Israeli hostages over four days. Reuters -
The hostages will be flown to Israel to be reunited with their families. AFP -
After 48 days of a bombardment that has claimed thousands of lives, a four-day truce in the Israel-Gaza war began on Friday. AFP -
The hostages were taken into Gaza following Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7. Reuters -
Once the hostages have been transferred, 39 Palestinian detainees are set to be released from several Israeli prisons. Reuters
The UN mission visited four locations affected by the attacks in the Gaza periphery: Nahal Oz military base, Kibbutz Beeri, the Nova music festival site and Road 232.
The team reviewed 5,000 photos and about 50 hours of footage of the attacks provided by various state agencies, and independent private and open sources.
According to the report, the team encountered challenges in collecting and verifying details on the occurrence of conflict-related sexual violence due to difficulty gaining access to survivors and witnesses.
It also noted that the information gathered by the team was in a large part sourced from Israeli national institutions due to the absence of UN entities operating in Israel, "as well as the lack of co-operation by the state of Israel with relevant United Nations bodies with an investigative mandate".
The absence of comprehensive forensic evidence also “limited the mission team’s ability to draw definitive forensic conclusions in many instances”.
Ms Patten said that the team did not meet any survivor of sexual violence of October 7 attacks despite making a “call for survivors to come forward”.
“But we received information that a handful of them were receiving very specialised trauma treatment, and were not prepared to come forward,” she said.
The report added that the distrust survivors and hostage families had towards national institutions, international organisations and media scrutiny limited access to survivors.
Mother of two hostages describes nightmare situation with Hamas – video
At Kibbutz Beeri, Ms Patten said, her team “was able to determine that at least two allegations of sexual violence widely repeated in the media were unfounded due to either new superseding information or inconsistency in the facts gathered”.
Chloe Marnay-Baszanger, team leader of the Team of Experts on the Rule of Law and Sexual Violence in Conflict said they could not verify any sexual violence in Kibbutz Beeri.
It “does not mean necessarily it didn't occur", she told reporters. “It means we couldn't verify it.”
Ms Patten stressed that the findings will be used solely for the “purpose of the annual report of the Secretary General which will be debated before the council on the of April 25”.
Addressing the UN General Assembly, Israel’s ambassador Gilad Erdan said: “Where is the voice of the United Nations?
"We have heard the empty words of UN officials calling for the release of the hostages. But have we seen any of them take action? Nothing.
“During the last five months, there was not a single discussion here dedicated to the welfare of the hostages."
After Mr Erdan’s remarks, Israel’s Foreign Minister Israel Katz summoned his UN envoy for consultations “regarding the attempt to silence the serious UN report".
“Despite the authority granted to him, the UN Secretary General did not order the convening of the Security Council in view of the findings, in order to declare Hamas a terrorist organisation and impose sanctions on its supporters,” Mr Katz wrote on the X social network.
