Overview
- Hamas and allied Palestinian armed groups are accused of crimes against humanity during the Oct. 7, 2023 assault and in the treatment of hostages taken to Gaza.
- Amnesty characterizes the mass killing of civilians as the crime against humanity of extermination and documents murder, torture, imprisonment, enforced disappearance, rape and other inhumane acts.
- The report says hostage-taking was deliberate and planned by leadership, with 251 people abducted; all but one have since been returned under ceasefire deals or Israeli operations.
- Amnesty identifies Hamas and its Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades as chiefly responsible, with roles also attributed to Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades and some unaffiliated civilians.
- The group notes limited access prevented a full assessment of sexual crimes, Hamas publicly denies the findings and seeks a retraction, and Israel has previously rejected Amnesty’s separate genocide allegation.