PM calls out women’s and rights groups for not denouncing sexual violence by October 7 terrorists; US president says it must be condemned ‘without equivocation, without exception’

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Joe Biden on Tuesday castigated human rights groups, women’s organizations and the United Nations for failing to speak out about the rapes and other atrocities committed by Hamas against Israeli women.

Speaking at a press conference in Tel Aviv, Netanyahu noted he met earlier with released hostages and with relatives of those still held in Gaza, a gathering described as hostile and stormy by those present.

“I heard heartbreaking stories of abuse,” he said. “I heard, as you have heard, about sexual abuse and unprecedented cases of cruel rape.”

But, Netanyahu said, he has not heard women’s and human rights groups “scream” against the sexual violence by Palestinian terrorists who invaded southern Israel on October 7, and he asked if they were “silent because it was Jewish women.”

Switching to English, he added: “I say to the women’s rights organizations, to the human rights organizations, you’ve heard of the rape of Israeli women, horrible atrocities, sexual mutilation? Where the hell are you?

During a fundraiser in Boston, Biden echoed Netanyahu’s condemnation of international organizations.

“Reports of women raped — repeatedly raped — and their bodies being mutilated while still alive — of women corpses being desecrated, Hamas terrorists inflicting as much pain and suffering on women and girls as possible and then murdering them. It is appalling,” he said.

During a fundraiser in Boston, Biden echoed Netanyahu’s condemnation of international organizations.

“Reports of women raped — repeatedly raped — and their bodies being mutilated while still alive — of women corpses being desecrated, Hamas terrorists inflicting as much pain and suffering on women and girls as possible and then murdering them. It is appalling,” he said.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Joe Biden on Tuesday castigated human rights groups, women’s organizations and the United Nations for failing to speak out about the rapes and other atrocities committed by Hamas against Israeli women.

Speaking at a press conference in Tel Aviv, Netanyahu noted he met earlier with released hostages and with relatives of those still held in Gaza, a gathering described as hostile and stormy by those present.

“I heard heartbreaking stories of abuse,” he said. “I heard, as you have heard, about sexual abuse and unprecedented cases of cruel rape.”

But, Netanyahu said, he has not heard women’s and human rights groups “scream” against the sexual violence by Palestinian terrorists who invaded southern Israel on October 7, and he asked if they were “silent because it was Jewish women.”

Switching to English, he added: “I say to the women’s rights organizations, to the human rights organizations, you’ve heard of the rape of Israeli women, horrible atrocities, sexual mutilation? Where the hell are you?”

“I expect all civilized leaders, governments, nations to speak up against this atrocity,” he added, before switching back to Hebrew.

During a fundraiser in Boston, Biden echoed Netanyahu’s condemnation of international organizations.

“Reports of women raped — repeatedly raped — and their bodies being mutilated while still alive — of women corpses being desecrated, Hamas terrorists inflicting as much pain and suffering on women and girls as possible and then murdering them. It is appalling,” he said.

“The world can’t just look away at what’s going on. It’s on all of us — government, international organizations, civil society and businesses — to forcefully condemn the sexual violence of Hamas terrorists without equivocation. Without equivocation, without exception,” Biden added.

International human rights organizations have faced intense scrutiny from public figures and rights organizations in Israel and the Jewish state’s supporters abroad, who have urged them to acknowledge and investigate the testimonies of rape and sexual violence committed during the October 7 onslaught in which thousands of Hamas-led terrorists killed more than 1,200 people and seized some 240 hostages.