A comprehensive report by the Israel Women's Network and the Women and War Documentation and Research Collective reveals critical failures in Israel's response to sexual violence during and after the Oct. 7 Hamas massacre. The report highlights systematic governmental failures, including unimplemented UN resolutions and ignored civil society warnings about protecting women and children in conflict zones.
"We're more than a year into the event, and no one can guarantee that if this happens again, the state will handle it differently," says Tal Hochman, executive director of the Israel Women's Network.
The report, which will be submitted to multiple government offices, including the Prime Minister's Office and ministries of defense, foreign affairs, and justice, points to a "lack of knowledge and professional capability within governmental mechanisms."
Video: Israeli interrogation of Gaza father and son confessing to rape and murder of civilians on Oct. 7
National security researcher Shira Shaham emphasizes that sexual violence in conflicts represents a fundamental security issue, not merely a women's rights concern. "A security concept that doesn't consider aspects of dangers to women is an incomplete security concept," she states.
The report criticizes the absence of an official, transparent government account of war crimes and sexual violence during the attack. It particularly emphasizes the ongoing plight of hostages who "continue to be exposed to violence in general and gender and sexual violence in particular" in Hamas captivity.
In April, National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi directed the establishment of a "national team on gender violence following Oct. 7" to integrate the issue with a broad perspective. The team brings together representatives from various government ministries and security branches, and focuses on action in diplomatic and international dimensions, working with UN bodies and human rights organizations.
The State Attorney's Office stated, "A thorough investigation of all Oct. 7 events has been and continues to be conducted, examining the role of each and every one of those investigated. Beyond this, at this stage we cannot detail the particulars and findings of the investigations."
