Israel witness says woman shot by Hamas during rape; police probe Oct 7 sexual assault cases

The police are gathering evidence of sexual violence by Hamas from witnesses and surveillance footage.

Published on: Nov 14, 2023, 20:04:27 IST

By HT News Desk

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The Israel police are investigating multiple cases of sexual violence against women perpetrated by Hamas terrorists on October 7. They said on Tuesday they have no surviving victim of rape but are in touch with multiple people who have witnessed sexual violence by Hamas terrorists.

A Palestinian man rides his bicycle past destroyed buildings in Bureij, in the central of Gaza Strip, on November 14, 2023. (AFP)

The police are gathering evidence of sexual violence by Hamas from witnesses and surveillance footage. They are also interrogating Palestinian terrorists arrested since October 7.

David Katz, head of the Lahav 443 criminal investigation unit, said the police have multiple witnesses of sexual crimes. "However, we have no living victims who said we have been raped," he said.

He said the probe could take several months.

At the press conference, AFP reported, the police showed footage of witness testimony. A witness who identified as S, a survivor at the Supernova music festival, said she saw a woman being gang-raped before being shot.

The witness said the women were being "taken to a specific place by men in military uniform".

"I understood they raped them," she added.

She also said that she saw a woman being gang raped by several armed men. One of the men shot her in the head during the act, reported AFP.

The police said the ZAKA organisation -- that recovers human remains in accordance with Jewish religious law to afford them a proper burial -- reported that they saw several bodies of women without pants or underwear.

Hamas killed 1200 people, mostly civilians, on October 7, when they stormed Israeli cities.

Israel's retaliatory aerial and ground strikes have so far killed 11,200 people, according to Palestinian health authorities.

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HT News Desk
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