Families of Israeli Women Hostages Ask: Where Are Women's Groups in the World?

Families and supporters of Israeli women and girls taken hostage in Gaza challenged global women's rights groups on Monday, November 13, asking, "Where are you?" and urging them to be the voice for their loved ones who were kidnapped by Hamas militants. Dozens of those taken hostage in the Hamas attack in southern Israel range from young girls to elderly women. According to Reuters, families of the hostages held a press conference in Tel Aviv, calling on women's advocacy groups, especially those linked to the United Nations, to amplify their voices to the world and advocate for the release of their loved ones. They pointed to various health issues that the captive women are facing, including breast cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and asthma. Yardin Gonen, whose 23-year-old sister Rumi was kidnapped while returning from an outdoor dance festival in southern Israel, said, "Now that we need you more than ever, where are you? Do not turn your back on our women or us." The Hamas attack on October 7 ignited the war in Gaza, resulting in the deaths of 1,400 people, most of whom were civilians. They also took more than 240 hostages, mostly civilians and nationals of other countries, to Gaza. Following this, Israel besieged the Gaza Strip and launched attacks on what it called Hamas targets. Hamas officials, who control Gaza, claim that over 11,000 people have been killed, most of whom are civilians. In contrast, Israel has accused this Iran-backed group of using civilians as human shields. According to Reuters, Ruth Halperin-Kadari, an Israeli legal expert and former deputy chair of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, stated at the hostage families' meeting, "It is well documented that women and girls suffer more during captivity." Two speakers noted that the UN Women group had presented a report last month on the impact of the crisis on Palestinian women and girls in Gaza, stating that the rights of Israeli women "should be equal to the rights of any other woman in the world." In response to Reuters' inquiry, UN Women stated, "We are deeply concerned about all Hamas hostages, many of whom are women," adding, "We have also called for their immediate and unconditional release through all our channels and platforms." The group emphasized that it "strongly condemns all forms of violence against women and girls and any use of sexual violence as a weapon of war that violates human rights," and called for respect for international humanitarian law and human rights. The father of an American hostage held by Hamas told Voice of America: "Hamas is a new ISIS." The father of an Israeli hostage held by Hamas stated: "First the release of the hostages, then a ceasefire."