| THE LIE UN Special Rapporteur Reem Alsalem says there is no evidence Palestinians committed rape during the October 7, 2023 massacre: “No independent investigation found that rape took place.” |
| THE TRUTH Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorists committed widespread rape on October 7, including of women and men. Captured perpetrators confessed on camera, and the UN, ICC, and EU have all confirmed the crimes. |
| BACKGROUND On October 7, 2023, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorists massacred about 1,200 people in southern Israel and dragged hundreds of hostages into Gaza. From the first days of the attack, survivors, first responders, and captured terrorists described rape, gang rape, and sexual mutilation at the Nova festival, on Route 232, and in kibbutzim. On November 14, 2025, UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls Reem Alsalem posted: “No Palestinian applauded rape in Gaza. No independent investigation found that rape took place on the 7th of October.” Times of Israel |
| TRUTH EXPLAINED Jamal Hussein Ahmad Radi, a 47-year-old Hamas member captured in Gaza, confessed to raping an Israeli woman at gunpoint: “She was screaming, she was crying, I did what I did, I raped her.” His son Abdallah said they gang-raped her with a cousin, then his father killed her. Abdallah also admitted, “I killed two people, I raped two people, and I broke into five houses.” Daily Mail Manar Mahmoud Muhammad Qassem, a Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist captured in Khan Yunis, confessed on camera to raping a young Israeli woman in her home during the October 7 attack. Jerusalem Post First responders identified at least 24 bodies of women and girls in Be’eri and Kfar Aza who were naked or half-naked, some mutilated or tied up. New York Times A United Nations mission led by Pramila Patten found “reasonable grounds to believe” that rape and gang rape occurred at the Nova festival, Road 232, and Kibbutz Re’im, and “clear and convincing information” that hostages were subjected to rape and sexualized torture. UN Prosecutor Karim Khan said he has reasonable grounds to believe three Hamas leaders – Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Deif, and Ismail Haniyeh – are responsible for rape and other acts of sexual violence as crimes against humanity. ICC The European Union sanctioned the military wings of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad for “widespread sexual and gender-based violence” used “as a weapon of war.” Reuters |
| QUOTES “We found that there are reasonable grounds to believe that conflict-related sexual violence, including rape and gang-rape occurred in at least three locations, namely: the Nova music festival site and its surroundings, Road 232, and Kibbutz Re’im.” – Pramila Patten, UN Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict “My Office also submits there are reasonable grounds to believe that hostages taken from Israel have been kept in inhumane conditions, and that some have been subject to sexual violence, including rape, while being held in captivity.” – Karim Khan, ICC Prosecutor |
| TAKEAWAY The claim that “there is no evidence” requires ignoring perpetrator confessions, survivor testimony, and the UN’s own findings. Those records exist. Reem Alsalem’s post does not erase them. |
