An Israeli woman who was held hostage by Hamas for 55 days says she was sexually assaulted by militants, becoming the first former hostage to publicly come forward with claims of sexual violence.
In an interview with The New York Times published Tuesday, Amit Soussana said she was forced “to commit a sexual act” at gunpoint by a Hamas militant who was holding her captive. She also said that while in captivity, she was held by herself, chained by her ankle in a bedroom, with a guard sometimes coming in, lifting her shirt and touching her.
Soussana’s interview follows finding from a United Nations special group focused on sexual violence, which found “clear and convincing information” that Hamas committed rape and sexual torture during its deadly attack on Israel on Oct. 7 last year.
Soussana told the Times that she decided to talk about her experience now to draw attention to the challenges faced by those who are still hostages in Gaza. Following Soussana’s release from captivity in November, she talked to a senior Israeli gynecologist and a social worker about her assault, both of them told the Times.
“Amit spoke immediately, fluently and in detail, not only about her sexual assault but also about the many other ordeals she experienced,” said Julia Barda, the gynecologist, per the Times.
However, a spokesperson for Hamas denied Soussana’s account in a response to the Times. “For us, the human body, and especially that of the woman, is sacred,” the spokesperson said in the response, according to the Times.
However, the U.N. special representative of the secretary-general on sexual violence in conflict, Pramila Patten, headed up a team that went to Israel and the West Bank earlier this year and found evidence that Hamas had carried out sex crimes against hostages.
“Based on the information it gathered, the mission team found clear and convincing information that sexual violence, including rape, sexualized torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment has been committed against hostages and has reasonable grounds to believe that such violence may be ongoing against those still held in captivity,” the U.N. special group said in a press release.
In a press conference, Patten said the group’s findings backed up the need for a cease-fire in the war between Israel and Hamas, which Israel has said would require Hamas releasing the more than 100 remaining hostages.
“In the context of the findings, regarding the hostages, I think more than ever a ceasefire should be a priority,” Patten said. “That’s what can protect the hostages still in captivity, a ceasefire.”