The aftermath of the October 7, 2023 attacks in Israel has unfolded a deeply troubling narrative, marked by the brutal use of sexual violence as a weapon of war. This dark chapter, involving Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and other groups, left around 1,200 dead and led to the kidnapping of 240 hostages into Gaza. What has emerged from the United Nations Commission of Inquiry’s findings is not just a tale of widespread devastation but a shocking exposé of war crimes, with sexual violence at its grim core.
Imagine a music festival turned into a nightmare scenario, where young attendees faced unimaginable horrors. The Supernova music festival, attended by about 3,500 young people, turned into a site of mass murder and sexual assault, including gang rapes and the desecration of corpses. Then, there’s Road 232, a supposed escape route that instead bore witness to severe wounds and evidence of sexual violence, including signs of rape and mutilation. And in the kibbutzim close to Gaza’s perimeter, such as Re’im, Be’eri, and Kfar Aza, survivors recount tales of rape and sexualized violence.
