In a recent interview with CNN, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed his condemnation of the sexual violence perpetrated by Hamas militants during the attacks on Israel on October 7.
Blinken described the atrocities as "beyond anything that I've seen" and criticized the slow response of international organizations and leaders to address the issue.
"I don't know why countries, leaders, international organizations were so slow to focus on this, to bring it to people's attention. I'm glad it is finally happening," Blinken said. He further emphasized the severity of the sexual violence witnessed on October 7, describing it as "almost beyond human description or beyond our capacity to digest."
In response to these atrocities, Israel hosted a panel at the United Nations in New York last week. The panel was convened to hear testimonies about the alleged sexual and gender-based violence carried out during the attack. Several speakers criticized human rights groups, including UN Women, for their slow response to the reports of sexual violence.
When questioned about the delayed response, Blinken suggested that these organizations and countries need to introspect. "I think it is a question that these organizations, these countries need to ask themselves," he said.
In light of these events, House Democrats are preparing a resolution to condemn the sexual violence by Hamas. This move comes after several progressive lawmakers' responses to the allegations were deemed unsatisfactory.
Witnesses have reported that women and girls were sexually assaulted, tortured, and killed during the attacks. Israeli police are currently investigating these reports of rape. First responders have revealed to CNN that some female victims were found undressed.
Hamas, however, has denied these allegations. In a statement on Telegram last week, the group criticized what they referred to as "the coordination of some Western media outlets with the Zionist misleading campaigns that promote unfounded lies and allegations aimed at demonising the Palestinian resistance."
Despite these denials, evidence of sexual violence was presented at the UN meeting. This included graphic footage of victims and videos of interrogated Hamas fighters admitting that rapes did occur. Testimonies were also provided by Israeli police officers and witnesses to the aftermath of the attacks.
Blinken also emphasized the need for further efforts to protect civilians and provide aid as Israel continues its operations in southern Gaza. The Gaza Health Ministry, operated by Hamas, reported on Saturday that over 17,000 people have been killed since the hostilities began.
Blinken praised Israel's efforts to designate safe areas and focus on specific neighborhoods for evacuation. However, he stressed the need for more effective measures to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches those who need it.
The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) issued a warning on Saturday for civilians to evacuate large parts of the city of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, where fighting was ongoing. However, due to large parts of Gaza lacking internet access, it remains unclear how many civilians received this warning.
Blinken called for clear communication and designated routes to ensure civilians can safely move out of harm's way. "We need to see the same kind of deconfliction time, pauses, designated routes, plural, not just one, and clarity of communication, so that people know when it is safe and where it is safe to move to get out of harms way before they go back home," he said.
When asked about the duration of the current stage of the war, Blinken did not provide a specific answer. He stated that while everyone wants the campaign to end as soon as possible, the end of the major military operation does not signify the end of the conflict. "Because we have to have a durable, sustainable peace. And we have to make sure that were on the path to a durable sustainable peace," he concluded.
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