Israel’s Foreign Ministry on Thursday welcomed the UN’s decision to add Hamas to its “blacklist” of groups committing sexual crimes in armed conflicts, calling it an overdue recognition of atrocities committed since October 7.
“Hamas terrorists have committed – and continue to commit – some of the most horrific sexual crimes known to humanity: rape, gang rape, genital mutilation, sexual abuse in captivity. Now, the UN officially recognizes this fact,” the ministry said.
The ministry said the inclusion came after “hard work” by Israeli diplomats, noting that UN Secretary-General António Guterres had initially opposed the move last year. “Today, the UN is expected to send all members of the General Assembly the Secretary-General’s report… and the report includes the terrorist organization Hamas for the first time.”
The Foreign Ministry stressed that Hamas’s listing follows earlier findings by UN Special Envoy on Sexual Violence in Conflict Pramila Patten in early 2024. “The inclusion of Hamas in the blacklist constitutes an international seal of guilt for a particularly serious offense under international law, on the same level as war crimes and crimes against humanity,” it said.