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Dinah Project Finds Hamas Weaponized Sexual Violence in October 7 Attacks

The report calls on the UN to blacklist Hamas for using sexual violence as a weapon of war.

A copy of the report by the Dinah Project on sexual violence committed on Oct. 7, 2023 by Hamas is displayed by a journalist before a ceremony presenting the report to Israel's first lady Michal Herzog in Jerusalem, Tuesday, July 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo)
A woman holds a copy of the report titled 'A Quest for Justice' on Sexual Violence during the Oct.7 2023 Hamas attack at the President House in Jerusalem July 8, 2025, REUTERS/ Dedi Hayun

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.