UN COI Report Fails to Hold Hamas Accountable
In June 2024, the problematic and biased UN Commission of Inquiry (COI) issued reports focused on Hamas’ October 7 attack and Israel’s response. As expected, these reports showed outrageous bias against Israel and dangerous statements that downplayed Hamas' terrorism and disregard for the lives of Palestinian civilians. The reports failed to hold Hamas responsible for its crimes against humanity, including the clear and systematic weaponization of sexual violence on October 7 and beyond. Hadassah National President Carol Ann Schwartz issued a statement in response to this report, which received media attention.
Hadassah continues to call on UN leaders to disband the biased, antisemitic COI.
Hadassah Calls on UN Leaders to Speak Out
Ahead of International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict on June 19, Hadassah led a letter, signed by 53 organizations, calling on UN Secretary-General António Guterres and other leaders to condemn Hamas by name for the systematic weaponization of sexual violence as a weapon of war and call this crime what it is: a crime against humanity. We are also asking Guterres to ensure the COI’s June 19 discussion before the Human Rights Council does not become a platform for denial, propaganda and harmful antisemitic narratives.
Hadassah advocates can join us in this call to action by writing UN Secretary-General Guterres here.
Hadassah will continue to speak out and demand justice for the victims of Hamas’ systematic weaponization of sexual violence as a weapon of war until a legitimate, unbiased investigation is completed and the Hamas terrorists are held fully accountable.
Hadassah’s Fact Sheet Compiling Reports Showing Evidence of Hamas’ Weaponization of Sexual Violence
Hadassah created a fact sheet that collects and summarizes evidence from five organizations’ reports and four news outlets’ investigative articles highlighting the systematic and brutal weaponization of sexual violence and rape by Hamas on October 7 and beyond. This fact sheet is meant to be a resource to fight the misinformation and antisemitic biases being pushed by the COI and others.
Hadassah’s Global End The Silence Campaign
Earlier this year, Hadassah launched the global End The Silence campaign to speak out and raise awareness of Hamas’ gender-based violence on October 7 and beyond and demand that the UN conduct an independent, unbiased investigation of Hamas’ use of rape and gender-based violence as weapons of war. As part of this campaign, 150,000 advocates from 118 countries and 119 organizations have written to UN Secretary-General Guterres, demanding justice for Israeli women and girls.
What You Can Do