Israeli researchers concluded sexual violence by Hamas and allies during and after the Oct. 7, 2023, attack was systematic, widespread, and integral to the assault. The 300-page report, compiled by the Civil Commission on October 7th Crimes by Hamas Against Women, Children and Families, details recurring patterns of rape, gang rape, sexual torture, and forced nudity. Victims were often abused in front of family members, and perpetrators used social media to broadcast atrocities—a term dubbed “kinocidal violence.” Survivors described horrific acts, including coerced incest and postmortem sexual assault, with anonymity preserved to protect identities.

The commission analyzed over 10,000 photographs, videos, and satellite imagery, cross-referencing geolocated footage and survivor testimonies. A team of about two dozen researchers, including trauma experts and forensic analysts, collaborated internationally to verify evidence. Among the verified cases was a male survivor forced into group rape and genital mutilation during the Nova music festival massacre. The report emphasized the scale of violence, noting that sexual abuse was not isolated but a calculated strategy of terror.

Israeli officials cited challenges in documenting crimes due to the deaths of many victims and the chaotic aftermath, which overwhelmed law enforcement. The UN had earlier found reasonable grounds to believe sexual violence occurred at three locations, including posthumous abuse of women’s corpses. Hostages taken to Gaza also reported sexual torture and rape during captivity, with some survivors providing polygraph-verified accounts. The commission’s archive remains closed to the public to safeguard victims’ privacy.

Hamas denied involvement in sexual violence and has not responded to specific allegations. The attack, which killed over 1,200 Israelis and abducted 250 people, sparked a devastating war in Gaza, resulting in over 70,000 Palestinian deaths, according to Gaza health authorities. The report underscores the long-term trauma faced by survivors and the global silence surrounding the crimes, urging accountability amid ongoing conflict.