⚠️ WARNING: This article discusses sexual violence

On October 7, Hamas filmed its own atrocities. The world saw murder. But evidence shows the crimes went further. Women, children, and even men were raped, tortured, and mutilated. In many cases, the assaults were followed by execution. Some victims were attacked in full view of others, their violation broadcast on social media to maximize terror.

As Modern-Day Esthers, we cannot look away. Silence is not neutral. It sides with the rapist, not the victim. It allows Hamas to hide their crimes in the shadows. We will not be silent. We will speak, we will pray, and we will insist on justice. We applaud HonestReporting and the Dinah Project for documenting these crimes, giving victims a voice, and pushing for justice on the global stage. “The Dinah Project was created to document these crimes.”

“Evidence shows that Hamas carried out systemic sexual violence."

Bearing Witness to the Crimes

Colonel (res.) Sharon Zagagi-Pinchas, director of the Dinah Project and former IDF Chief Prosecutor, explained that most victims did not survive. Those who did survive are often too traumatized to testify.

Patterns across six different locations revealed shocking consistency: women tied in the same ways, killed in the same ways, bearing the same marks of assault. Children were raped. Men were raped. These were not random acts by isolated terrorists but a coordinated, premeditated strategy.

“Most of the victims didn’t survive. Those who did survive face severe trauma and cannot speak.”

UN investigators have since confirmed “clear and convincing evidence” that Hamas used sexual violence as a weapon of war.

“When you find in different arenas the exact same acts… you can conclude at a very high level that the sexual violence was premeditated.”

What has been established from the Dinah Project’s work, Knesset testimony, and international briefings:

• Women and girls were repeatedly targeted. Evidence shows rape, gang rape, genital mutilation, and torture before execution.

• Children were sexually assaulted. Investigators have confirmed this in evidence shown to lawmakers, though details remain sealed to protect families.

• Men were also raped. This has been documented by first responders and included in Dinah Project reports.

• In many cases, rape was followed by murder — which is why so few survivors are able to testify.

UN Special Representative Pramila Patten confirmed in March 2024 after visiting Israel that there was “clear and convincing evidence” of conflict-related sexual violence committed by Hamas and other terrorists on October 7. That conclusion was echoed by the Dinah Project and by Israel’s own investigations.

Why “Dinah” Matters

The project’s name is rooted in Scripture. In Genesis 34, Dinah, the daughter of Jacob and Leah, was raped by Shechem, the son of a local ruler. Dinah’s own voice is absent from the biblical account. She is spoken about, but her perspective is never recorded. She became a symbol of the silenced victim.

Her brothers, Simeon and Levi, responded with rage and violence, slaughtering the men of Shechem’s city. Jacob condemned their vengeance, but their grief reveals how deeply sexual violence shattered honor, family, and community.

The Dinah Project invokes this story because it represents three truths:

• Dinah’s silence mirrors the countless victims of sexual violence whose voices are stifled by trauma or death.

• In Hebrew, din means “justice.” Her name embodies the cry for justice for all who have suffered.

• Dinah’s story warns us of the destructive ripple effects when sexual violence is allowed to stand without recognition or accountability.

“Dinah is a symbol of the need to express the voice of many women who are still silent… and din, justice.”

On October 7, Hamas repeated the sins of Shechem on a horrific scale. Like Dinah, many victims cannot speak for themselves. The Dinah Project exists so their voices are not lost to history.

Sexual Violence as a Weapon of War

Colonel Zagagi-Pinchas explained that sexual violence in war is a “cheap weapon” that requires no guns or tanks. It targets the weakest — women, children, the defenseless — and it devastates not only the individual but entire communities.

Hamas weaponized sexual violence to humiliate, terrorize, and destroy the continuity of Jewish community life. By livestreaming attacks and staging crimes publicly, they aimed to crush Israel’s spirit.

“If you do not declare it as a weapon of war and you do nothing about it, then it is the perfect crime.”

The Dinah Project’s report calls for broad recognition of these crimes, indictments in Israel and abroad, and reforms in international law so that perpetrators cannot hide behind war-zone chaos or political excuses.

A Modern-Day Esther Response

This is not only Israel’s story. This is a test for the conscience of the world. Will we believe the victims? Will we call sexual violence by its name? Will we demand justice, even when the world prefers to look away?

As Modern-Day Esthers, we are called to bear witness. To pray for survivors and families. To speak up when others fall silent. To push back against a culture that shrugs at prayer and ignores sexual violence.

Like Queen Esther, we are not here by accident. We have been placed in this time and moment “for such a time as this.”

Today’s Prayer
Lord, we grieve the women, children, and men violated and silenced on October 7. We ask for Your comfort for their families, courage for investigators, and strength for prosecutors. Give us boldness as Esthers to speak truth, defend the vulnerable, and never look away. Amen.

Republished with Permission