UN envoy says ‘reasonable grounds’ to believe Hamas committed rapes on October 7

Revellers killed on October 7 at the Nova music festival (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)

The UN envoy focusing on sexual violence in conflict has said there are “reasonable grounds” to believe Hamas committed rape, “sexualised torture” and other cruel and inhumane treatment of women during its attack on southern Israel on October 7.

There are also “reasonable grounds to believe that such violence may be ongoing”, said Pramila Patten, who visited Israel and the West Bank from January 29 to February 14 with a nine-member team.