In a powerful and passionate speech, President Biden has called for global condemnation of Hamas’s use of sexual violence against Israelis, mainly targeting women and girls. Expressing his outrage, President Biden emphasized that ending violence against women and sexual assault has been one of the causes of his life, and he urged the world not to disregard these heinous acts.
During a campaign reception in Boston, President Biden asserted that it is the responsibility of governments, international organizations, civil society, and businesses to condemn the sexual violence perpetrated by Hamas terrorists unequivocally. He emphasized that there should be no exceptions or equivocation in addressing this issue.
The October 7 attacks carried out by Hamas resulted in the deaths of 1,200 Israelis and the capture of more than 240 hostages. Following the attacks, reports documenting the prevalence of sexual violence emerged, and subsequent testimonies further revealed the gruesome and brutal nature of Hamas’s use of rape as a weapon of war.
President Biden highlighted that early reports indicated Hamas’s use of rape to terrorize women and girls during the October 7 attack. He further expressed his dismay at the horrific accounts and unimaginable cruelty shared by survivors and witnesses in recent weeks. These accounts include reports of women being repeatedly raped, their bodies mutilated while still alive, and the desecration of women’s corpses. President Biden condemned Hamas for inflicting immense pain and suffering on women and girls before brutally murdering them.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre also condemned the use of rape as a weapon of war, echoing President Biden’s sentiments. She described Hamas’s actions as reprehensible and emphasized that the Biden administration will continue to be unequivocal in its condemnation of these acts.
However, there has been criticism regarding the lack of public outrage surrounding Hamas’s use of sexual violence. Over 80 House lawmakers recently penned a bipartisan letter accusing the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women of disregarding Hamas’s attacks on women. This widespread criticism highlights the urgent need for global condemnation and action.
President Biden also referenced the recently ended pause in fighting, which aimed to secure the release of women and girls held by Hamas. He blamed Hamas for the breakdown of the ceasefire by refusing to release more hostages, particularly civilian women aged between 20 and 39. President Biden clarified that Hamas’s refusal to release these women was the reason for the collapse of the agreement.
The State Department spokesperson, Matthew Miller, suggested that Hamas may be withholding the release of further civilian women to prevent them from testifying about the sexual violence committed against them.
