The UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Pramila Patten, briefed the Security Council in New York on her recent report relating to the 7 October attacks in Israel.
“What I witnessed in Israel were scenes of unspeakable violence perpetrated with shocking brutality resulting in intense human suffering,” Ms. Patten said
“We found clear and convincing information that sexual violence, including rape, sexualized torture, and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, has been committed against hostages, and we have reasonable grounds to believe that such violence may still be ongoing against those in captivity,” she said.
Her team conducted interviews with 34 individuals, including survivors of the 7 October attacks, visiting four sites of alleged attacks and review over 5,000 images and 50 hours of footage provided by authorities and independent sources.
“I saw the pain in their eyes,” she said, citing reports of people who had been shot, burned in their homes and killed by grenades alongside the abduction of hostages, mutilation of corpses and widespread looting. “It was a catalogue of the most extreme and inhumane forms of killing, torture and other horrors.”
“We found clear and convincing information that sexual violence, including rape, sexualized torture, and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment has been committed against hostages and we have reasonable grounds to believe that such violence may still be ongoing against those in captivity,” she said.
