Human Rights Watch (HRW) released a report on Wednesday (July 17), acknowledging that five Palestinian armed groups, including Hamas’s Al-Qassam Brigades, committed war crimes and crimes against humanity in the attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023.
According to the report, influential governments should exert pressure on these armed groups to release civilian hostages immediately (an ongoing war crime) and hold those responsible accountable for their actions.
The report, titled “Unforgettable Bloody Memories: Palestinian Armed Groups’ Assault on Israel on October 7,” spans 236 pages and documents dozens of cases where Palestinian armed groups attacked civilians in various locations, highlighting major offenses of war crimes and crimes against humanity including murder and hostage-taking.
Human Rights Watch’s research found that the attack led by Hamas’ armed groups aimed to kill civilians and abduct as many hostages as possible. Ida Sawyer, Director of Crisis and Conflict Division at Human Rights Watch, stated, “The atrocities of October 7 should prompt global action to end all human rights abuses against civilians in Israel and Palestine.”
The report quoted a significant amount of firsthand material. Between October 2023 and June 2024, Human Rights Watch interviewed 144 individuals, including 94 witnesses, victims’ family members, first responders, and medical experts from Israel and other countries.
Researchers verified and analyzed over 280 photos and videos captured during the attacks, posted on social media, or directly submitted to Human Rights Watch.
Nirit Hunwald, a nurse in Be’eri kibbutz, where 97 civilians were killed, described the scene of dragging wounded paramedics into the community’s dental clinic for treatment, leaving a trace of blood along the way. She said, “I cannot erase this bloody memory.”
According to Agence France-Presse (AFP), out of the 1,195 people killed on October 7, 2023, 815 were civilians. Militants seized 251 civilians and Israeli security personnel as hostages, taking them to Gaza.
As of July 1 this year, AFP reported that 116 hostages remain detained in Gaza, including at least 42 deceased individuals. Additionally, 35 victims’ bodies have been returned to Israel.
Human Rights Watch mentioned that there are other potential crimes against humanity warranting further investigation, including persecution based on race, ethnicity, or religion; rape or other forms of severe sexual violence; and genocide – if there is intent to “destroy” a significant part of the population through large-scale killings. These crimes may constitute crimes against humanity if they are part of a policy of attacking civilians by any organized group.
The report emphasized that Palestinian armed groups in Gaza should unconditionally release civilian hostages. They should take disciplinary measures against members committing war crimes and hand over individuals sought by the International Criminal Court for trial.
The attack on October 7, 2023, sparked the Gaza-Israel conflict. According to the Gaza Health Ministry, as of July 1, 2024, over 37,900 Palestinians have died in this conflict.