Quiet as It’s Kept

Mass and brutal rape was part of the plan and was used as a weapon on October 7. Just the lede in this article from the NYT is horrific. (Warning: The descriptions here are disturbing. But not as disturbing as the other images included in these articles.) “The body of one woman had ‘nails and different objects in her female organs.’ In another house, a person’s genitals were so mutilated that ‘we couldn’t identify if it was a man or a woman.'” The world’s governing bodies have been largely silent on this issue. Accounts of Sexual Violence by Hamas Are Aired Amid Criticism of U.N. (One could argue that these events have been overshadowed by Israel’s incredibly aggressive war effort and the deeply troubling humanitarian crisis in Gaza. But there was silence before Israel launched its response.)

+ “For the past three decades, women have stood up for other women. When our sisters’ bodies and dignity were targeted and violated, women and allies of all ages and backgrounds organized, supported, and spoke out. Except somehow, not this time.” Slate: The World’s Feminists Need to Show Up for Israeli Victims.

+ “The State Department announces travel bans on extremist Jewish settlers implicated in a rash of recent attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank.” Israel considers flooding Gaza tunnels with seawater. The IDF has entered large cities in the south, including Khan Younis where they believe key Hamas leaders are hiding. Here’s the latest from CNN, BBC, and Times of Israel.