On kibbutzim, at Nova Festival – and in captivity: New report on Hamas' sexual violence on Oct 7

An article in The Sunday Times highlighted a new report containing testimonies of sexual violence that occurred during the Oct. 7 attack.

According to the article on Sunday, the full report is set to be released later this week and will include new testimonies from hostage survivors in Israel, a survivor of the Nova Music Festival massacre, and about 20 eyewitnesses and earwitnesses. The report was compiled by “Project Dina,” an organization that documents the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war by the Hamas terrorist organization.

The report reveals a harrowing picture of widespread and systematic sexual violence during the terror attack, with acts of rape taking place at no fewer than six different locations. The project was led by experts in gender and law, partially funded by the British government, and aims to combat efforts to silence, deny, or spread disinformation about the sexual violence committed on Oct. 7.

“Clear patterns were found in how the sexual violence was carried out,” the report states, “including victims found partially or fully naked with their hands tied – often to trees or poles; evidence of gang rape followed by execution; and injuries to genitalia.”

According to the report, the assaults took place at the Nova Festival, on Route 232, at the military base in Nahal Oz, and on three kibbutz communities: Re'im, Nir Oz, and Kfar Aza. In addition, captives also abuse during captivity: “Sexual violence continued in captivity. Returnees reported forced nudity, physical and verbal sexual harassment, sexual assaults, and threats of forced marriage.”

Last year, reports were prepared by the UN Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, an independent UN commission of inquiry, and the International Criminal Court (ICC) – all of which found evidence of sexual violence and even gang rape during the attack. “Project Dina” is now presenting new evidence, including firsthand testimonies from 15 released hostages who experienced sexual violence in captivity – only one of whom, Amit Susanna, has spoken publicly.

The researchers also interviewed 17 individuals who witnessed or overheard assaults, providing detailed accounts of 15 cases, including instances of gang rape. In addition, they spoke with 27 emergency responders who arrived at various attack sites and reported dozens of incidents across multiple locations. The team also analyzed forensic evidence from images and video footage.

“What we found makes it clear that sexual violence, including rape and gang rape, occurred in multiple locations,” said Halperin-Kaddari, one of the researchers. “Women were found dead, naked, mutilated – with gunshot wounds to their genitals – and tied to trees. The fact that these acts occurred in three to six different places cannot be a coincidence; it is proof that this was premeditated.” She added, “Many of the witnesses we spoke to described victims being shot while the terrorists were still attempting to rape them.”

Retired Israeli judge, Nava Ben-Or, who participated in the project, stated: “Sexual violence in conflict is aimed at destruction and dehumanization of a community, so the idea that you need to find a specific perpetrator for a specific victim is irrelevant. Saying ‘When I joined Hamas, I only meant to kill women and children, but I’m totally against rape’ is absurd. Everything done in the course of an attack you’re responsible for.”

The report calls on the UN secretary-general to send a fact-finding mission in light of the testimonies and to include Hamas on the United Nation's annual blacklist of entities that use sexual violence as a weapon of war.