Condemning Rape and Sexual Violence Committed By Hamas in its War Against Israel
Floor Speech
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mr. SELF. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 966) condemning rape and sexual violence committed by Hamas in its war against Israel.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows: H. Res. 966
Whereas, on October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorists infiltrated Israel and brutally murdered 1,200 men, women, and children, injured thousands, and took 240 hostages including babies and children;
Whereas Israeli police have gathered thousands of testimonies from eyewitnesses of Hamas violence on October 7, 2023, including countless instances of rape, gang rape, sexual mutilation, and other forms of sexual violence, and are continuing to gather evidence;
Whereas photographic evidence, forensic medical units, and morgue workers have identified bodies subjected to mutilation and trauma consistent with sexual assault and rape, including shattered pelvises;
Whereas eyewitness accounts from survivors of the attacks and Hamas body camera footage in Israel's southern communities and the Nova music festival in Re'im document gang rape and genital mutilation;
Whereas terrorists captured by Israeli security forces admitted they had been ordered by Hamas leaders to carry out sexual violence against Israeli civilians;
Whereas it has been reported that many victims of rape and sexual assault on October 7th, were murdered by the Hamas perpetrators and are unable to provide testimony;
Whereas released Israeli hostages have reported instances of sexual assault or abuse that occurred while held hostage by Hamas;
Whereas Israel's police, in coordination with Shin Bet, Israel's internal security service, has launched investigations to build cases on charges of mass murder, rape, torture, and bodily mutilation of civilians during the Hamas attacks;
Whereas human rights lawyers, criminologists, and researchers leading the ``Israeli Civil Commission on October 7th Crimes by Hamas against Women and Children'' have concluded that Hamas terrorists ``weaponized violence against women'' to inflict physical and psychological trauma;
Whereas rape and sexual violence have, throughout history, been used as weapons of war around the world to terrorize and subvert populations;
Whereas rape and sexual violence have serious and difficult mental, physical, and emotional impacts on victims, their families, and communities; and
Whereas some international bodies have been slow to condemn Hamas brutal actions on October 7th, and in some cases, failed to explicitly mention instances of sexual and gender- based violence against women: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) condemns all rape and forms of sexual violence as weapons of war, including those acts committed by Hamas terrorists on and since October 7th;
(2) calls on all nations to criminalize rape and sexual assault, and hold accountable all perpetrators of sexual violence, including state and non-state armed groups;
(3) calls on all international bodies to unequivocally condemn the barbaric murder, rape, sexual assault, and kidnapping by Hamas and other terrorists on and since October 7th, and hold accountable all perpetrators;
(4) reaffirms the United States Government's support for independent, impartial investigations of rape and sexual violence committed by Hamas on and since October 7th; and
(5) reaffirms its commitment to supporting survivors of rape and sexual violence, including those brutalized on and since October 7.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 966. On October 7, Israel suffered one of the worst days in its history as over 1,200 innocent people were slaughtered in cold blood and more than 220 people taken hostage.
In the days following the initial attack, Israeli police began gathering evidence of the atrocities committed that day.
Since then, eyewitnesses from survivors and captured terrorists have confirmed that Hamas terrorists were ordered and encouraged to commit disgusting acts of sexual violence against Israeli civilians.
These gruesome assaults did not end on October 7. The Hamas terrorists that perpetuated this attack dragged innocent men, women, and children away from their families into dark, cold, underground tunnels where they were kept hostage in brutal conditions.
Only recently has it become clear what kind of horrors the hostage faced in their captivity. Survivors have described the awful conditions they were kept in and the abuse they suffered underground, including instances of rape and sexual abuse.
The U.N. and other international bodies have glossed over these atrocities and failed to fully condemn Hamas for its rape and sexual assault, despite purporting to stand for human rights.
Today, we will unequivocally condemn sexual violence as a weapon of war by Hamas and all other depraved aggressors.
I thank Congresswoman Frankel for introducing this resolution, which I am proud to support and which deserves our unanimous support.
Mr. VAN DREW. Mr. Speaker, on October 7, 2023, Hamas infiltrated Israel and brutally attacked and murdered thousands of men, women, children, and babies, taking 240 hostages, including those that were so unbelievably innocent.
Women were beaten. Women were raped. They were paraded around covered in blood. Some were so brutally raped that their pelvises were broken. They begged for mercy, but none was given. They begged to die, but Hamas would not allow that until they were first dehumanized, beaten, and raped.
Hamas celebrated. They celebrated, and they took photos and videos of these horrific crimes. Families were forced to watch videos of their loved ones, their daughters, their babies, their wives, their mothers being brutalized, raped, and killed. Babies were decapitated. They were put in ovens.
This was not a military operation. Hamas is not a military group. They are not freedom fighters. They are not fighting against oppression. They are nothing more than the face of evil.
This vote is not complicated. You can vote to stand against rape, torture, and murder of women. You can vote to stop the innocent from being harmed. You can vote to stand alongside those who committed these horrific, evil crimes, or you can vote to say that it is awful.
It is up to the men and women in this Chamber. It is a simple choice. Every single Member of Congress should acknowledge that these actions are despicable, barbaric, disgusting, and evil. Every single Member of Congress should stand on this House floor and vote to condemn these violent acts and show your support for the innocent victims of these terrorists. Every single Member of Congress must stand on the right side of history.
I stand with Israel. I stand with these women, with these babies, and with these mothers. I hope that we all do.
Mr. Speaker, Hamas' barbaric attack on Israel on October 7 can never be forgotten. The brutal torture, murder, and rape of innocents will forever go down as one of the worst terrorist attacks in the world's history. We, as the United States, must stand against the use of sexual violence in any form as a weapon of war. We must continue to work for the safe return of all remaining hostages.
It is essential that Congress stands united to show the world that we will not turn a blind eye while terrorists slaughter, torture, and rape innocents.
Mr. Speaker, I strongly support this resolution. I ask all of my colleagues in this House to support it, and I yield back the balance of my time.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mr. SELF. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Source