October 7 Attack Was a Calculated Weapon of Terror, Major Study Finds

A major new investigation into the October 7 Hamas-led massacre has concluded that sexual violence was not random brutality committed amid chaos, but a calculated weapon of terror used systematically against Israelis during the deadliest attack in the country’s history.

The 300-page report, produced by the Civil Commission on October 7 Crimes by Hamas against Women and Children, documents widespread rape, gang rape, sexual torture, mutilation and postmortem abuse carried out by Hamas and allied Palestinian terror groups during the assault that killed around 1,200 people and saw 251 hostages dragged into Gaza.

‘Deliberate Strategy Of Terror’

The commission concluded that sexual and gender-based violence formed “a central component” of the October 7 atrocities and was deliberately designed to humiliate, terrorize and psychologically devastate Israeli society far beyond the immediate victims.

“What we have witnessed is deep hatred to humiliate us and terrorize us as a people, as a nation, as women,” said Dr. Cochav Elkayam-Levy, the international law expert who founded the commission and led the investigation.

The report, titled Silenced No More, identified 13 categories of sexual violence allegedly committed during the attack and in hostage captivity, including rape, forced nudity, genital mutilation, sexual torture, executions linked to sexual assault and abuse committed in front of family members.

Investigators based their findings on more than 430 interviews and testimonies from survivors, witnesses, former hostages, first responders and victims’ relatives, alongside analysis of over 10,000 photographs and video clips gathered from the massacre sites.

‘Screams You Have Never Heard’

The report contains graphic witness testimony from survivors of the Nova music festival massacre, where terrorists slaughtered hundreds of young Israelis.

Eyewitness Darin Komarov described hearing a woman being repeatedly raped by multiple attackers before she was murdered.

“She was probably injured, judging by her screams — screams you have never heard anywhere,” Komarov testified. “After one finished, he told another to go up… and after they finished, they shot her.”

Other witnesses described discovering bodies of women stripped naked, shot in the groin or left with signs of severe mutilation. First responders reported victims found with torn clothing, exposed bodies and injuries consistent with sexual assault.

The study also documented alleged sexual violence against male victims. One survivor identified only as “D” described being gang-raped and tortured during the Nova festival attack.

“They genuinely enjoyed it,” he testified. “They laughed… as if I was their sex doll.”

Hostages Also Reported Abuse

The report states that sexual violence continued in Gaza against Israeli hostages held by Hamas and other armed groups.

Former captives described being sexually assaulted after showering, forced into degrading acts and subjected to prolonged psychological abuse. In at least one alleged case, family members held hostage together were coerced into sexual acts against one another.

Investigators argued that such crimes amounted to war crimes, crimes against humanity and potentially genocidal acts under international law.

‘Weaponized’ Through Social Media

One of the investigation’s most disturbing findings was the systematic filming and online distribution of atrocities by the perpetrators themselves.

According to the report, Hamas fighters and other terrorists deliberately recorded scenes of abuse, humiliation and murder before sharing them on social media platforms or sending footage directly to victims’ families.

The commission concluded the images were intended not merely to document violence but to turn it into psychological warfare against the Israeli public.

“For two years, we have worked to preserve this evidence so the suffering endured by victims will not be denied, erased or forgotten,” Elkayam-Levy said.

International Pressure Growing

The report has been endorsed by several major international legal figures, including former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former Israeli Supreme Court president Aharon Barak.

It comes as Israel moves to establish a special tribunal to prosecute captured October 7 terrorists for war crimes, including sexual violence.

The commission says it will now distribute the findings to governments, parliaments and international bodies worldwide in an effort to cement the report as part of the formal historical and legal record of the massacre.

SOURCE

Duh. Who paid for this Commission to state the obvious?!