The UN’s special envoy on sexual violence in conflict has reported “clear and convincing information” that some women and children hostages held by Hamas had been subjected to rape and sexualised torture and that there were “reasonable grounds” to believe such abuses were “ongoing”.
Primary among those limitations was that the team did not manage to meet any survivors of sexual violence during the 7 October attacks, “despite concerted efforts encouraging them to come forward”.
Patten said some were still undergoing trauma therapy, some had been relocated inside Israel or moved abroad, and some first responder witnesses had been deployed in the army.
However, the UN team was able to talk to multiple witnesses, review a large quantity of video footage and pictures, and interview released hostages.
“Based on the first-hand accounts of released hostages, the mission team received clear and convincing information that sexual violence, including rape, sexualized torture, and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment occurred against some women and children during their time in captivity and has reasonable grounds to believe that this violence may be ongoing,” the report said.
As part of a proposed new ceasefire agreement being negotiated in Cairo, 40 vulnerable hostages, including elderly people, the sick and women, are due to be released in an initial phase of a six-week truce.
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