A resolution, which Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives on Friday, cites allegations that both the Hamas terror organization and Israel are guilty of sexual violence against women.
H.Res.1068 notes that “multiple news organizations have reported accounts of sexual violence against women perpetrated by Hamas during the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks on Israel.”
“A report from Physicians for Human Rights Israel has raised concerns that the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks included many incidents of sexual assault following repetitive patterns,” per the resolution, which has been referred to committee. “Photographic and eyewitness evidence of the sexual violence that was weaponized by Hamas during the attacks was presented during a United Nations session on sexual and gender-based violence.”
It adds that “decades of conflict with Israel have resulted in high levels of poverty, instability and deteriorating living conditions in Gaza that have increased the risk of violence for Palestinian women and girls, according to the United Nations Population Fund, and the outbreak of war between Israel and Hamas and worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza is compounding the risks women and children already faced.”
The resolution, which has drawn 21 co-sponsors, notes that the U.N. Population Fund records that “59% of Palestinian women and girls have reported experiencing at least one form of gender-based violence,” and that “news outlets have reported that Palestinian women have been harassed at checkpoints and while in custody, according to testimony submitted to the United Nations.”
The resolution also notes allegations of sexual violence in Sudan, Ukraine (by Russia), Myanmar, Ethiopia, Haiti, Uganda, Yemen, Pakistan and Iran.
Among the co-sponsors are Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), who supports Israel, and Reps. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) and Summer Lee (D-Pa.), who have anti-Israel records.
