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Hamas deplores baseless UN report on sexual violence on October 7

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Hamas Media Office
5 Mar 2024 16:19
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After listening to the usual claims made by Israeli officials and finding no incriminating evidence of sexual violence, UN SRSG Pamila Patten puts out a contradictory statement.

Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations Pramila Patten speaks during a press conference, on March 5, 2024. (Social media)

The Islamic Resistance Movement - Hamas rejected and strongly deplored allegations made by Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) of the United Nations (UN) Pramila Patten, whose envoy found that "sexual violence occurred on 7 October."

SRSG Patten's team "found clear and convincing information that sexual violence, including rape, sexualized torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment has been committed against hostages and has reasonable grounds to believe that such violence may be ongoing against those still held in captivity," putting such actions in the context of the Resistance's Operations Al-Aqsa Flood, which took the Israeli military by surprise.

However, the statement issued by the office of SRSG on Sexual Violence does admit that the information they were able to access was "circumstantial", adding that they were unable to interview any of the alleged victims of sexual abuse during the visit.

The mission was even able to confirm that several claims of sexual violence in the Gaza Envelope were "unfounded".

Hamas' statement pushed back against the claims made by the UN SRGS's report saying that such incidents of "rape and sexual violence" were proven "to be baseless."

The statement highlighted cases of sexual violence committed by Israeli occupation forces and settlers in the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank, which was "already verified by other UN entities," as stated in the SRSG's release.

Hamas said that such claims made by Israeli authorities only serve the purpose of "demonizing the Palestinian Resistance and covering up" confirmed reports of sexual violence committed by Israelis in occupied territories.

"Despite Ms. Patten’s [false claims] and accusations against Palestinian Resistance fighters, her report did not document any testimony from [alleged victims of sexual violence]. Rather, in her report, she relied on Israeli institutions, soldiers, and witnesses who were [handpicked] by the occupation authorities, to push [false accusations]," Hamas underlined.

The movement said that the accusation will not erase the fact that "Israel" has disregarded the orders of the International Court of Justice and committed multiple massacres in the Gaza Strip that have killed around 40,000 people.