A recent incident at the United Nations involving a scheduled meeting of the Security Council to discuss the hostages held by Hamas terrorists in Gaza has drawn criticism from experts. Anne Bayefsky, a leading expert, expressed her astonishment at the absence of the UN’s lead official on sexual violence in conflict, Pramila Patten, from the meeting. Patten withdrew from the meeting, which was supposed to address the sexual crimes committed against hostages taken by Hamas on October 7. The decision was seen as politically motivated, with pressure not to prioritize the Israeli hostages over Palestinians affected by the conflict.
Hamas reportedly murdered nearly 1,200 people during its invasion of Israel on October 7 and abducted over 250 people, committing sustained sexual violence during the massacre. The US mission to the UN organized the meeting, the first to be held on this topic. The meeting aimed to explore actions that UN agencies and the Security Council could take to speed up the release of the hostages and put pressure on Hamas for this purpose. Israel’s efforts to bring about the meeting were highlighted by Ambassador Gilad Erdan, emphasizing the need to focus on the situation of the hostages and discuss ways to exert pressure for their release.
Despite Pramila Patten’s absence at the recent meeting, discussions with the Government of Israel on addressing sexual violence in conflict continue. Patten’s office has repeatedly called for the release of all hostages in captivity in Gaza, with clear findings and recommendations related to the issue. However, criticism has been directed at the UN Secretary-General for refusing to include Hamas in the list of parties suspected of committing sexual violence in conflict situations. U.N. officials have been accused of pushing false narratives and failing to condemn Hamas for its attacks.
Israel has called for the resignation of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for his alleged failures to address Hamas terrorism and sexual crimes. The omission of Hamas’ sexual violence crimes in a report on conflict-related sexual violence sparked further criticism. However, a spokesperson for Guterres refuted the accusations, emphasizing his horror at the events and his calls for investigations into reports of sexual violence. The importance of ensuring that rape victims are heard and supported was also highlighted. Despite calls for accountability, officials have declined to comment on Patten’s absence at the meeting.
