"Silent Cry – Sexual crimes in the October 7 war" is the name of the report published Wednesday by the Association of Rape Crisis Centers in Israel, which provides a collection of testimonies and conclusions about the sexual atrocities perpetrated by Hamas in the October 7 attack and during the months of the Gaza war.
"The report is based on and analyzes testimonies that have already been heard, among others by survivors of the party and kibbutzim, rescuers, security forces, medical and rescue forces, and people who handled the many corpses in the Shora camp, and people who returned from captivity, but it is also based on information received by the Association through confidential inquiries to professionals," ARCCI wrote in the report.
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Some of the testimonies were deliberated redacted to ensure the privacy of the victims, the organization noted. "Consequently, we cannot present in this document all the information and accounts that have come to us confidentially. Nevertheless, we have made an effort to provide a picture of the situation that reflects information from open sources (primarily) as well as information that we cannot fully disclose at this stage," they wrote, adding that "the information and testimonies we provide clarify beyond any doubt what occurred, but significant parts of the story are still ahead of us." They explained, "Since sexual assault typically involves delayed disclosure, especially during wartime, the picture presented in the report is still preliminary. In the months and years to come, depending on the choices of the survivors, we may be able to bring a fuller story of the sexual assaults on October 7 and thereafter to the fore."
The glaring silence of women's organizations around the world has been deafening and has outraged Israelis across the board. In the coming days, the report will be officially handed over to the UN in English.
Orit Sulitzeanu, the CEO of the Association of Rape Crisis Centers in Israel, said: "The report leaves no room for denial or disregard. The Hamas terrorist organization chose to wound the State of Israel with two clear strategies: taking citizens captive and sadistic sexual crimes. We can no longer remain silent. We expect international organizations to take an unequivocal stance. One cannot stand idly by. Standing aside will be remembered as a historical stain on all those who chose to remain silent, suppress, and deny the sex crimes committed by Hamas militants."
"From the testimonies and information provided, it emerges that the sexual assaults committed in the October 7 attack and thereafter were carried out systematically and deliberately. Sexual assaults took place (and may still be ongoing) in all areas of the attack, as described: the Nova Festival, kibbutzim and villages in the south, IDF bases, and the captivity where children, women, and men kidnapped on October 7 were held, and some still are," the report notes. It further states, "From accounts of the atrocities, it appears that the perpetrators' actions match patterns of wartime sexual violence documented in literature; practices that describe rape and gender-based violence often appear in combination with sadistic practices with demonstratively brutal characteristics."
The sexual assaults included gang rapes at gunpoint, sometimes in front of family and friends – a practice aimed at sowing fear and deepening oppression and humiliation – castration and mutilation of female and male organs, and "insertion of weapons in intimate areas ...genital organs." This included "nails, grenades, and knives. It represents a specific expression of the pattern of targeted mutilation and harm to sexual organs. "
"In addition, it appears that instances of sexual assault occurred in front of audiences including family members, community members, or other relatives. This practice is known in literature and aims to undermine the dignity and masculinity of men who fail to protect their women, as well as to instill fear to deepen oppression and degradation," the report says. "When other women are forced to witness the sexual assault, even if they were not themselves victims, they are influenced and subdued by the perpetrator's power. Forcing spouses, parents, and siblings to witness the sexual assault of a family member is a practice of torture. In many cases, family members are killed when they try to protect their family from sexual assault."
From the testimonies about the attacks at the nature rave, it appears that the terrorists searched for and caught women who tried to escape. This too is a known practice – hunting down an escaping woman, dragging her by the hair, and assaulting her in front of everyone as a way to sow fear and express dominance over the enemy. Most of the survivors were then executed.
The report states that the testimonies indicate that on October 7, children and men were also sexually assaulted. However, the information on this is relatively scarce and this is a typical phenomenon due to the burden of shame in exposing sexual abuse which is perceived as humiliating and a violation of masculinity, and there is usually much less willingness to come forward.
Dr. Carmit Klar-Chalamish, who conducted the research and writing, and Noga Berger, who edited the report said: "The way the assaults were carried out and the acts that accompanied them were intended to amplify their impact on the victims themselves and their surroundings, which failed to prevent the harm. As the scar in our hearts refuses to heal and the souls of our sisters and brothers cry out to us from the ground, a large part of those we thought were our partners turn to silence and denial of the horrors. We call on you to raise your voice and not let the screams of these victims fade away."
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