Overview
- The July 8 Dinah Project report concludes that Hamas systematically employed sexual violence as a weapon of war during its October 7, 2023 attack, drawing on survivor testimonies, first-responder accounts and forensic and audio-visual evidence.
- Investigators documented at least 15 distinct assault cases—including four gang rapes, forced nudity, genital mutilation and executions with victims bound to trees or poles—across the Nova music festival, Re’im, Nahal Oz and other locations.
- The report urges UN Secretary-General António Guterres to blacklist Hamas for conflict-related sexual violence and to establish specialized legal approaches that address the systematic silencing of victims.
- Hamas denies the allegations, and a UN investigative team previously ruled two widely reported claims at Kibbutz Be’eri unfounded, underscoring contested narratives and evidentiary challenges.
- Published as Gaza ceasefire negotiations stall, the report intensifies international calls for accountability during the 21-month war’s deepening legal and humanitarian crisis.