Media Contact:
Lilly Freemyer
hadassah@rational360.com
202-669-0998
NEW YORK, NY — Today, Hadassah, The Women’s Zionist Organization of America – the largest Jewish women’s organization in the United States and one with an international network of supporters – launches “End The Silence,” a global campaign to unite people all over the world in speaking out against the weaponization of sexual violence by Hamas in Israel and by others around the globe.
“As leaders of a humanitarian organization, we at Hadassah are shaken to the core by the horrific evidence of how Hamas used rape and other acts of brutal sexual violence during its October 7 attack on Israel. And we are outraged that these war crimes have been ‘justified,’ denied – and even celebrated by some,” said Hadassah National President Carol Ann Schwartz.
“Rape should never be sanctioned as an act of war,” continued Schwartz. “That is why we are bringing together Hadassah’s hundreds of thousands of passionate volunteers and leaders from across the world – to end the silence, to speak out, to raise awareness and, critically, to demand justice.”
The international community’s silence in the face of irrefutable evidence of Hamas’ savage war crimes legitimizes rape and the use of rape as a weapon of war. Hadassah’s “End The Silence” campaign will focus the world’s attention on the gruesome reality that Hamas planned and systematically carried out acts of sexual violence against women and girls in Israel. The campaign will ensure that people everywhere not only hear the truth but also have the facts they need to counter misinformation, including attempts to justify these actions or deny they happened.
Hadassah’s “End The Silence” campaign is mobilizing grassroots leaders in 14 countries to demand that United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres advance an unbiased, independent and thorough UN investigation and pursue vigorous prosecution of Hamas for these war crimes.
Hadassah will post videos and calls to action on the “End The Silence” website and on social media. Hadassah’s more than 800 chapters across the US will join the organization’s leaders around the world in taking up the challenge in their communities by organizing events, rallies and other advocacy activities.
The “End The Silence” campaign builds on actions already taken by Hadassah’s grassroots and leadership, including calling on international organizations to denounce Hamas’ use of rape as a weapon of war, leading 60 organizations to send a letter to the UN demanding an impartial investigation of Hamas, and urging Congressional leaders to speak out.
Learn more about Hadassah’s “End The Silence” campaign here: www.hadassah.org/endthesilence