New Report Reveals Systematic Sexual Violence in October 7 Attack

Jerusalem, 12 May, 2026 (TPS-IL) -- Sexual and gender-based violence during the Hamas-led October 7 attack on Israel, and against hostages held in Gaza, was “systematic, widespread, and deliberate,” according to a major report released on by the Civilian Commission for the Investigation of the Crimes of October 7 on Tuesday.

“We saw silence and denial — and very quick denial — which made me understand that we have to collect evidence as quickly as possible,” said Dr. Kochav Elkayam-Levy, who heads the commission.

The 300-page report is based on more than two years of investigation and includes testimony from more than 430 survivors, witnesses, former hostages, first responders, forensic experts, and families of victims. The commission also compiled an archive of more than 10,000 photographs and video clips, alongside approximately 1,800 hours of footage.

According to the report, investigators identified 13 recurring patterns of sexual violence across multiple locations, including the Nova music festival site, Highway 232, agricultural communities and military bases. These include gang rape, sexual torture, forced nudity, sexual mutilation, and assaults committed in front of family members.

The report states that “the scale, coordination, and repetition of the conduct demonstrate a widespread and systematic attack against civilians in which sexual violence was deliberately used as a method of terror.”

Among the allegations documented were genital mutilation, burning, killings linked to sexual violence, and postmortem abuse of bodies. The report also states that victims were publicly humiliated and that perpetrators recorded and distributed footage of the violence online, which investigators say increased its psychological impact.

“For two years, we have listened to survivors and witnesses, painstakingly examined the evidence, and confronted material that is often beyond comprehension,” Elkayam-Levy said. “We have worked to preserve this evidence within a dedicated war crimes archive.”

A significant section of the report focuses on captivity in Gaza following the October 7 attack. Based on testimony from released hostages, it concludes that rape, sexual humiliation, forced stripping, and threats of forced marriage occurred during captivity, in some cases over extended periods.

The report also states that both women and men were subjected to sexual violence. In some cases, hostages were forced to witness abuse of others or were coerced into sexual acts involving family members.

One male survivor described severe abuse in testimony cited in the report: “They injured my genitalia… They laughed, they were really pleased… I was completely naked. They did whatever they wanted to me.”

The commission said sexual violence against men formed part of the same pattern of gender-based violence, used to exert control, humiliation, and psychological pressure.

The report further argues that sexual violence was not incidental but part of a broader pattern of psychological impact during the attack. It cites cases in which families reportedly received images or videos of atrocities shortly after they occurred.

“These acts transformed violence into instruments of psychological impact directed not only at victims, but also at families and society at large,” the report states.

Legal analysis in the document states that the acts described may constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity, and in some cases may meet thresholds for genocidal acts under international law, pending further legal determination.

The commission is calling for international recognition of its findings and for legal accountability for those involved. It has distributed the report to governments, parliaments, and international organizations.

Elkayam-Levy said the goal of the commission is both documentation and accountability. “The report indicates that sexual violence was a deliberate strategy, carried out with severe cruelty,” she said.

“Our conclusion is clear: sexual and gender-based violence formed a significant component of the October 7 attack and of hostages’ captivity.”

The commission said its work will continue as additional testimonies emerge. “The task of documentation is not over,” it concluded. “It is just beginning.”

Meanwhile, on Monday night, the Knesset approved legislation to establish a special tribunal to prosecute those accused of participating in the October 7 attack. Lawmakers authorized the tribunal to impose capital punishment in the most severe cases.

The tribunal will handle cases involving approximately 300 terrorists captured inside Israeli territory during the attack, along with suspects accused of involvement in kidnapping and related crimes.

Terrorists captured by Israeli forces have admitted to interrogators that they raped and abused Israeli women and men.

Legal scholars in July presented the first comprehensive legal framework for prosecuting Hamas terrorists for the alleged systematic use of sexual violence during the October 7 attack.

Roughly 1,200 people were killed and 251 Israelis and foreign nationals were taken hostage that day.