UNICEF condemns sexual violence against women and children on Oct 7, with no mention of Hamas

United Nations, Dec 6 (IANS) UN children's body, Unicef, on Wednesday condemned the sexual violence against women and children on October 7, but made no mention of the perpetrators, the Hamas terror group, the media reported.

"The accounts of sexual violence on October 7 in Israel are horrific," wrote UNICEF chief Catherine Russell on X.

"Survivors must be heard, supported and provided with care. Allegations must be fully investigated. We condemn gender-based violence and all forms of violence against women and girls," Russell said.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the US President Joe Biden castigated human rights groups, women's organisations and the United Nations for failing to speak out about the rapes and other atrocities committed by Hamas against Israeli women and children, despite the two leaders having stayed largely publicly quiet on the matter until now, The Times of Israel reported.

International human rights organisations have faced intense scrutiny from public figures and rights organisations in Israel and the 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 nearly 240 hostages.

The United Nations in particular has been the target of criticism by Israeli rights groups, after nearly eight weeks went by before it issued a condemnation and committed to launching an investigation into the allegations of sexual violence.