Each year in March we celebrate Women’s History Month and, on March 8, International Women’s Day. This year, however, our celebrations are tempered with the reality that 132 hostages at time of publication are still being held in Gaza, not all of them alive, and fourteen of whom are females. The hostages were kidnapped during the brutal terrorist acts of Hamas on October 7, in which Hamas murdered over 1,000 civilians and sexually assaulted girls and women before slaughtering them.
Yet despite the atrocities inflicted upon these girls and women, the conspicuous silence of many world leaders as well as international and local women’s organizations questions and degrades their stated mission to champion women’s rights. The selective response from such prominent organizations underscores a troubling inconsistency. If the mission is truly to support women universally, then dismissing the plight of the hostages subjected to such heinous acts by Hamas terrorists is not only a painful reminder of the vulnerabilities women have faced throughout history, but condones the sinister strategy of the weaponization of women as tools of war.
Ignoring and discounting the testimony of released hostages about the sickening rapes they witnessed and endured, of doctors who examined deceased victims and survivors and found horrifying evidence of violent sexual assaults, of video footage and thousands of photos showing Hamas terrorists attacking female hostages, of confessions of Hamas terrorists, betrays the fundamental values these women’s organizations claim to uphold of defending the dignity and security of women worldwide. Or are Jewish women, mothers, sisters, daughters, exempt from protection, undeserving of basic human rights? #MeToo_UNless_UR_A_Jew?
After five months, 150 days, in captivity, the UN’s envoy on sex crimes finally recognized that, “clear and convincing information that sexual violence including rape, sexualized torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment” was committed and there are “reasonable grounds” to believe that such violence is ongoing against hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. Not a single hearing has been held, nor has the UN condemned Hamas, suggested sanctions, demanded the immediate release of the hostages, or even called for Hamas to present the hostages for medical examinations. Regardless of the failure of those claiming to protect girls and women to scream their outrage, flood their social media platforms with their disgust, or apply international pressure to denounce the brutality and support the immediate return of the hostages, we must continue to foster a collective commitment to equality and justice for ALL women that should be the foundation of any genuine women’s rights movement. So, in honor of Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day, it is essential to maintain vigilance in using our voices to advocate for the girls and women who have suffered unimaginable horrors. Working tirelessly for their release is a matter of humanity.
BRING THEM HOME: Liri Albag (18), Naama Levy (19), Karina Ariev (19), Agam Berger (19), Daniel Gilboa (19), Romi Gonen (23), Eden Yerushalmi (24), Noe Argamani (26), Arbel Yehud (28), Amit Ester Buskila (28), Doron Steinbrecher (30), Shiri Bibas (32), Carmel Gat (39), Judy Weinstein (70).