Hamas’s sex crimes

Following the UN’S contemptible silence on the violence inflicted on Israeli women by Hamas terrorists during the October 7 pogrom, the body has finally conceded that there are “reasonable grounds to believe that conflict-related sexual violence ... including rape and gang rape” took place. The report also found that sexual violence against Israeli hostages held in Gaza may still be ongoing. But why has it taken the UN so long to recognise this?

International organisations that purport to stand up for women’s rights, or campaign against sexual violence in conflict, have been strangely reluctant to condemn Hamas’s atrocities. Surely, if your concern is the treatment of women, you should denounce violent and murderous acts against them, whoever happens to be the perpetrator. But Israel is somehow treated differently, even when its people have quite clearly been the victims of horrific crimes. The country has had to go to extraordinary lengths to combat misinformation about what happened on October 7.

UN officials are currently focused on reaching a “crucial” Ramadan ceasefire in Gaza but negotiations have been difficult. Israel is thought to have declined to send a delegation to Cairo because Hamas refused to present a list of living hostages, including women, children, the elderly and the sick.

This was hardly an unreasonable request, and the terrorists’ unwillingness to meet it speaks to the fact that there can be no long-term peace that involves the group’s continued existence. Indeed, Israel’s longer-term aim of dismantling the organisation remains the correct one. The horrors of October 7 can never be allowed to be repeated.