The women from Melbourne’s Jewish community who organised the event said groups such as the United Nations,Australia’s #MeToo movement,feminists and progressive politicians had “chosen to ignore,contextualise or significantly delay any public response to the sexual crimes of October 7”.
“The scepticism and gaslighting of Israeli women and children who were violently raped and tortured contravenes the very tenets of these activists and organisations – namely,to support and believe all victims,” organisers wrote in a statement.
The UN has commenced an inquiry into war crimes on both sides of the Israel-Hamas conflict. It announced last week that the scope would expand to investigate “numerous accounts” of sexual violence by Hamas that have not yet been able to be officially verified.
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Israel says the militant group killed 1200 people and took 240 hostageson October 7 before about 105 hostages – many of them women and children - were released during a seven-day ceasefire that ended last week.
Heavy fighting hassince resumed in Gaza,where more than 13,000 Palestinians have died,according to Hamas-run authorities.
On a warm Monday evening at Hopetoun Gardens in Elsternwick,white shirts with the messages “No Excuse” and “We Believe Them” were distributed to approximately 500 attendees. They taped their mouths shut to represent the perceived silence they were protesting and held placards with messages such as “#MeToo Unless you’re a Jew”.