Previously confidential documents taken from Hamas terrorists who invaded Israel on October 7 of last year show that the insurgents had premeditated intentions to use sexual assault as a weapon during their incursion, Palestinian Media Watch (PMW) reported last week.
Palestinian Media Watch is an Israeli NGO that says it monitors material in Palestinian media that promotes hatred and terrorism in order to expose and educate on such content.
The Israeli NGO reportedly saw the documents during an intelligence briefing last Monday.
According to PMW, the documents listed commands and questions in Hebrew that were printed in Arabic characters. The transliterated phrases were accompanied by corresponding Arabic translations.
Among the commands listed on the document were “Take off your pants,” “Lie down,” “Don’t make trouble,” “Men here,” “Women here,” “Children here,” “Raise your hands and spread your legs,” and “Take your clothes off.”
Other phrases included, “I will kill you,” “We have hostages,” “We will kill the captives,” and “What is the name of the kibbutz,” among others.
Documentation of Hamas’s sexual assault on October 7
While denial of Hamas’s sexual offenses on October 7 remains prevalent among some anti-Israel activists, the terror organization’s use of sexual violence is well documented.
In April, the documentary “Screams Before Silence” highlighted the firsthand experiences of survivors of Hamas’s sexual violence on October 7.
The documentary has been promoted by figures across the political spectrum, including former US president Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris.
An Arabic-language version of the documentary was published on YouTube last week.
In March, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Pramila Patten, said at a Security Council briefing on sexual violence, “We found clear and convincing information that sexual violence, including rape, sexualized torture, and cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment.
In May, the Daily Mail reported that two Hamas terrorists, a father and son, confessed to raping and murdering Israeli women on October 7.
The IDF has published footage of other such confessions since October 7 as well.
In December, a captured Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist admitted that his squad committed rape and then murdered victims during the October 7 massacre.
Simultaneously, the New York Times published an investigation that described how Hamas weaponized sexual violence on October 7.
The report stated that it found "a pattern of rape, mutilation, and extreme brutality against women in the attacks on Israel."
Numerous leaders, Israeli and international, have condemned Hamas's weaponization of sexual violence.