Israeli Report Reveals Torture and Sexual Assault at Gunpoint of Gaza Hostages

Sexual Assault At Gunpoint: In a stunning revelation, an investigation by the Israeli Health Ministry has come out exposing in full detail the horrific tortures and abuses that have been meted out on the hostages being held inside Gaza during the ongoing hostilities. The report will be submitted to the United Nations this week, shedding more light on the physical, sexual, and psychological suffering inflicted upon the captives.

The reports have distressing testimonies from survivors as they bring out their ordeal in the grim circumstances. Sexual violence, starvation, burns, and medical neglect were some of the common practices that took place, thus pointing to the seriousness of the situations. Survivors said that they were exposed to constant psychological torture and physical harassment, which left them with serious physical and emotional scars.

The report chronicles stories of women being raped by their captors, frequently at gunpoint. Reportedly, men were beaten, starved, burned, and branded, with many tied down in isolation and denied such basic facilities as bathrooms. Some hostages were also deprived of medical attention, adding to their misery.

One of the most dreadful accounts is that of two Israeli teenagers who, at gunpoint, were compelled to have sex with each other. They were also beaten and tied up, with clear marks of torture. The survivors, including children, still suffer from long-term physical and psychological consequences due to the abuse.

One more sort of torture was intentional food deprivation. Many reported starved for long periods; consequently, they suffered from gross physical deterioration. The report, on the other hand, depicts calculated cruelty, which captures the systematic use of starvation and isolation to undermine the hostages.

This past January, a former hostage, Amit Soussana, related her terrifying ordeal with The New York Times. While in captivity, she stated, she was raped to forcibly perform a sexual act against one of the hostage holders. The testimony brings focus to the common issue facing hostages: sexual violence by their captors.

UN Submission and International Response

The report, intended to be presented to Alice Edwards, the UN’s special rapporteur on torture, catalogues these abuses in grim detail. It calls for international attention to the impact that survivors continue to bear, most of whom remain grappling with the trauma of their captivity.

Waiting for more information from the international community, the testimony from survivors is a stark reminder that justice and support to those affected are urgently needed for the horrific abuses.