Sheryl Sandberg Ignites a Rallying Cry: Amplifying Outrage Against Attacks on Women - October 7th Urges Unprecedented Response

Sheryl Sandberg, the former high-profile executive at Meta, delivered a compelling address alongside Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Israeli officials on October 7. The event aimed to shed light on the atrocities committed against women by Hamas during its attacks on Israel, and Sandberg took the opportunity to condemn the use of rape as an act of war. In a video message and a written column, she emphasized the importance of upholding this truth despite the prevailing political climate.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also joined the conversation via video, expressing her views on the matter. Sandberg underscored the universal agreement that there are no circumstances justifying rape, regardless of one's political affiliations, national flag, religious beliefs, or lack thereof.

The event, organized by Israel's Permanent Mission to the U.N., featured eyewitness accounts from first responders and individuals who had cared for the female victims following the October 7 attacks. Advocates for women and Israel criticized women's organizations, particularly UN Women, for what they perceived as insufficient condemnation of Hamas's actions. UN Women released a statement unequivocally condemning the attacks on December 1, two months after the massacre.

Gilad Erdan, Israel's ambassador to the United Nations, expressed frustration with the delayed recognition from UN Women. Video confessions of captured Hamas militants were presented, detailing instances of rape and the violation of female corpses. Members of the Israeli Police Force and others who had dealt with the aftermath testified at the event.

Shari Mendes, an American-born architect and Israel Defense Force reservist, described the harrowing task of preparing female soldiers' bodies for burial. She recounted the distressing condition in which many victims arrived, with some shot in intimate areas. Simcha Grainimin, a first responder volunteering with Israeli search and rescue operation ZAKA, testified about finding a woman's body with foreign objects in her vaginal cavity.

Hamas denied any instances of rape occurring on October 7, despite the presented testimonies and evidence at the gathering.

"I echo @sherylsandberg's sentiment: Rape is never acceptable.