Full Breakdown
World WIZO convenes UN-linked panel on documenting Hamas-linked sexual violence
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: International experts gather in Abu Dhabi
On September 30, World WIZO hosted an official side event of the 15th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice in Abu Dhabi. The panel brought together Israeli and Ukrainian legal specialists, former Israeli Defense Forces chief military prosecutor Col. (res.) Sharon Zagagi-Pinhas, retired Jerusalem District Court judge Nava Ben-Or, and international law scholar Ben Wahlhaus, among others. Moderated by Sharon Banyan, CEO of the International Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists, the discussion focused on how to document sexual violence committed during the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack and subsequent hostage captivity, and how to preserve survivor testimony for future prosecutions.
Background & Context
The meeting built on earlier United Nations findings. In March 2024, a UN mission led by Pramila Patten, the Secretary-General’s special representative on sexual violence in conflict, concluded there were “reasonable grounds to believe” that rape and gang-rape occurred during the October 7 attacks. The same mission later reported “clear and convincing information” that hostages had been subjected to sexual violence, including rape and sexualized torture. Although the UN fact-finding mission was not a criminal investigation, it called for further inquiries and accountability.
Official Statements & Responses
World WIZO President Anat Vidor emphasized that three years of advocacy had secured global recognition of the atrocities, but stressed that recognition alone was insufficient without accountability. She described the organization’s UN consultative status—held since 1959 with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)—as a tool for “alternative diplomacy,” enabling Israeli experts to present their work at international forums. Vidor also highlighted partnerships, such as a March event with the Czech Republic at the UN Commission on the Status of Women in New York, as part of a broader strategy to bring wartime sexual-violence crimes before legal and diplomatic bodies.
Data & Statistics
- The UN mission identified “reasonable grounds” for sexual violence during the October 7 assault.
- Subsequent findings provided “clear and convincing information” of rape and sexualized torture of hostages.
- World WIZO has maintained UN consultative status for over six decades and has leveraged that platform to coordinate expert testimony worldwide.
What’s Next
Panel participants explored the potential of artificial-intelligence tools, such as the “Hearing Their Voices” project presented by Shiran Mlamdovsky Somech, to archive survivor accounts while safeguarding privacy and consent. The discussion concluded with a call for additional investigations, the preservation of admissible evidence, and the use of diplomatic channels to advance prosecutions of those responsible for the documented sexual crimes.