[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 966 Engrossed in House (EH)]

<DOC>
H. Res. 966

                In the House of Representatives, U. S.,

                                                     February 14, 2024.
Whereas, on October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorists infiltrated Israel and brutally 
        murdered 1,200 men, women, and children, injured thousands, and took 240 
        hostages including babies and children;
Whereas Israeli police have gathered thousands of testimonies from eyewitnesses 
        of Hamas violence on October 7, 2023, including countless instances of 
        rape, gang rape, sexual mutilation, and other forms of sexual violence, 
        and are continuing to gather evidence;
Whereas photographic evidence, forensic medical units, and morgue workers have 
        identified bodies subjected to mutilation and trauma consistent with 
        sexual assault and rape, including shattered pelvises;
Whereas eyewitness accounts from survivors of the attacks and Hamas body camera 
        footage in Israel's southern communities and the Nova music festival in 
        Re'im document gang rape and genital mutilation;
Whereas terrorists captured by Israeli security forces admitted they had been 
        ordered by Hamas leaders to carry out sexual violence against Israeli 
        civilians;
Whereas it has been reported that many victims of rape and sexual assault on 
        October 7th, were murdered by the Hamas perpetrators and are unable to 
        provide testimony;
Whereas released Israeli hostages have reported instances of sexual assault or 
        abuse that occurred while held hostage by Hamas;
Whereas Israel's police, in coordination with Shin Bet, Israel's internal 
        security service, has launched investigations to build cases on charges 
        of mass murder, rape, torture, and bodily mutilation of civilians during 
        the Hamas attacks;
Whereas human rights lawyers, criminologists, and researchers leading the 
        ``Israeli Civil Commission on October 7th Crimes by Hamas against Women 
        and Children'' have concluded that Hamas terrorists ``weaponized 
        violence against women'' to inflict physical and psychological trauma;
Whereas rape and sexual violence have, throughout history, been used as weapons 
        of war around the world to terrorize and subvert populations;
Whereas rape and sexual violence have serious and difficult mental, physical, 
        and emotional impacts on victims, their families, and communities; and
Whereas some international bodies have been slow to condemn Hamas brutal actions 
        on October 7th, and in some cases, failed to explicitly mention 
        instances of sexual and gender-based violence against women: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) condemns all rape and forms of sexual violence as weapons of 
        war, including those acts committed by Hamas terrorists on and since 
        October 7th;
            (2) calls on all nations to criminalize rape and sexual assault, and 
        hold accountable all perpetrators of sexual violence, including state 
        and non-state armed groups;
            (3) calls on all international bodies to unequivocally condemn the 
        barbaric murder, rape, sexual assault, and kidnapping by Hamas and other 
        terrorists on and since October 7th, and hold accountable all 
        perpetrators;
            (4) reaffirms the United States Government's support for 
        independent, impartial investigations of rape and sexual violence 
        committed by Hamas on and since October 7th; and
            (5) reaffirms its commitment to supporting survivors of rape and 
        sexual violence, including those brutalized on and since October 7.
            Attest:

                                                                          Clerk.