Murder, rape, and extermination: Hamas guilty of crimes against humanity, Amnesty charges - Jerusalem Post Staff

 

​ by Jerusalem Post Staff

Amnesty International released a report accusing Hamas of crimes against humanity, including murder and torture, for the October 7th massacre and the treatment of the hostages taken

 

A "Ceasefire in Gaza" banner hangs in the window of an Amnesty International store in Lund, Sweden, June 11, 2024; illustrative.

(photo credit: Daniel Sztork/Shutterstock)

 

Amnesty International released a report on Thursday accusing Hamas of crimes against humanity, including murder and torture, for the October 7 massacre and the treatment of the hostages taken.

The report concluded that Palestinian terrorists killed the vast majority of civilians who died and presents evidence of hostages being subjected to physical and sexual violence.

The report, titled Targeting Civilians: Murder, Hostage-Taking and Other Violations by Palestinian Armed Groups in Israel and Gaza, condemns Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups for crimes committed during the massacre, and calls for the return of the remains of the final remaining hostage, St.-Sgt.-Maj. Ran Gvili.

Amnesty International has previously accused Hamas of committing war crimes during the massacre, but has never stated that the scale and nature of violence met the threshold for crimes against humanity.

The NGO also condemned Hamas's murder, extermination, imprisonment, torture, enforced disappearance, rape, and other forms of sexual violence.

A memorial ceremony at the Nova festival marking two years since the October 7 massacre when Hamas terrorists infiltrated southern Israel, murdering more than 1,200 people. October 07, 2025. (credit: Tsafrir Abayov/Flash90)

Hamas's Izzadin al-Qassam Brigades 'chiefly responsible' for massacre, Amnesty Intl. finds

The report placed the blame for the massacre "primarily" on Hamas's so-called military wing, the Izzadin al-Qassam Brigades, accusing them of being "chiefly responsible."

It accused other Gazan terror groups of being responsible to a lesser degree, including Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, and other supposedly unaffiliated Palestinian civilians who took part in the massacre.

The NGO in October called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the return of all civilians who were then still held by Hamas and other terror groups in the strip, but excluded soldiers.

It also accused Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians last December.

Following the Iran-Israel war, Amnesty International in July called Iran's use of cluster bombs a violation of international humanitarian law.

Michael Starr contributed to this report.

This is a developing story. 

Jerusalem Post Staff

Source: https://www.jpost.com/international/article-879982

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