Jerusalem. The Israeli government has released a bombshell report this morning, accusing Hamas of systematically using sexual violence as a weapon of war during the 7 October attacks. The investigation, compiled by the Israeli Foreign Ministry and intelligence agencies, claims that rape, genital mutilation, and other forms of sexual assault were not merely opportunistic but part of a coordinated strategy to terrorise and degrade Israeli civilians.
The report is based on over 1,500 testimonies, forensic evidence, and footage from Hamas body cameras. It alleges that at least 30 women and girls were raped, with some attacks occurring in front of family members. The document also details cases of sexual torture against male victims, including the use of knives and other objects.
Western intelligence sources have privately corroborated parts of the findings. A senior US official told me that ‘the evidence is damning,’ though Washington has yet to issue a formal statement. The UK Foreign Office is ‘studying the report urgently.’
This is a deliberate attempt to shift the narrative. Critics argue the timing is suspicious: just as the International Court of Justice considers a genocide case against Israel over its Gaza offensive. But for now, the focus is on Hamas’s brutality. Backbenchers in Westminster are already calling for a parliamentary debate. The game has changed.”
Eleanor Rigby, Political Bureau Chief
