Israeli Foreign Minister Katz decries U.N.’s ‘silence’ on Hamas attacks at meeting on Oct. 7 sexual violence

"Foreign Minister Israel Katz used a Monday emergency UN Security Council meeting on sexual violence perpetrated on and after October 7 to urge the body to formally recognize Hamas as a terror organization.

‘Hamas must be declared a terrorist organization and face the heaviest sanctions possible,’ Katz said after traveling from Israel to attend the session on a report published earlier this month by the UN’s special envoy on sexual violence.

The report compiled by Pramila Patten stated that there was ‘clear and convincing information’ to indicate that hostages held captive in Gaza were subjected to ‘sexual violence including rape, sexualized torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment.’

It also said that there were ‘reasonable grounds’ to believe that Hamas terrorists perpetrated rape and gang rape against victims in at least three main locations during their October 7 attack on Israel, during which they murdered some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapped 253.

‘We are asking you to condemn the sexual violence crimes these barbarians committed in the name of the Muslim religion,’ Katz told the Security Council, while also urging the body ‘to put as much pressure as possible on the Hamas organization to release immediately and unconditionally all the kidnapped hostages.’

‘Please try your utmost to stop this living hell on earth,’ Katz implored, adding that the countries on the council have the opportunity to save the hostages still held by Hamas. Katz also called out the UN for being ‘silent on Hamas’s actions.’..."