An Israeli government investigation has concluded that Hamas fighters systematically employed sexual violence as a weapon during their coordinated assault on 7 October, a finding that prosecutors intend to present in international legal forums. The report, released on Sunday by the Israel-based Civil Commission on October 7th Crimes, documents over 1,500 witness testimonies, forensic evidence, and digital materials that together paint a picture of deliberate atrocity designed to terrorise and dehumanise civilians.
The commission, established by survivors and legal experts, compiled evidence of rape, sexual mutilation, and genital violence inflicted on both men and women across multiple attack sites including kibbutzim, music festivals, and military bases. Lead investigator Dr. Rina Rosenberg, a forensic pathologist, stated that the pattern of injuries indicated “calculated, rather than opportunistic, brutality” with many victims bearing wounds consistent with objects used as weapons of sexual violation before death.
International humanitarian law prohibits sexual violence as a war crime and crime against humanity when committed systematically or as part of a widespread attack. The report asserts that Hamas’s actions meet this threshold, citing the coordination of forces, the targeting of civilians, and the use of rape to extract information and instil fear. Survivor testimonies describe attackers repeatedly voicing that they were “purifying” the land, a phrase that investigators say mirrors propaganda disseminated by Hamas prior to the attacks.
Forensic teams have identified at least 24 cases where victims were found with their lower bodies removed or burned, consistent with efforts to destroy DNA evidence. This, Rosenberg said, indicates a consciousness of criminal liability and a desire to obscure the scale of the crimes. The commission has shared its findings with the International Criminal Court, which is already investigating alleged war crimes in the region, and with the United Nations Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict.
Hamas has denied any systematic use of sexual violence, though the group has neither condemned individual acts nor offered to cooperate with independent investigations. In a statement on Saturday, a Hamas spokesperson dismissed the report as “Zionist propaganda designed to justify genocide.” Human rights organisations, however, have noted that the evidence aligns with patterns observed in other conflicts where sexual violence is employed as a tactical tool.
The report arrives amid a broader political crisis: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition faces internal dissent over the handling of the war, while international pressure mounts for a ceasefire. The commission’s findings may complicate diplomatic negotiations, as they provide concrete allegations that could fuel calls for accountability. But there is also worry that the weaponisation of this evidence could be used to escalate military operations rather than pursue justice.
Dr. Vance reflects: During my years studying conflicts from the Balkans to Darfur, I have witnessed how sexual violence becomes embedded in the infrastructure of genocide. It is not spontaneous; it is ordered, incentivised, and celebrated. The data from October 7 matches this blueprint. The calm urgency we must maintain is the understanding that documentation without prosecution is just a file. The true test of our institutions will be whether these numbers become a scaffold for justice or a footnote to tragedy.
