Amnesty International on Thursday issued its most extensive investigation to date into the October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel, accusing Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups of committing crimes against humanity, including extermination, murder, torture and violence against women. The 173-page report asserts that the mass killing of civilians in southern Israel meets the threshold for “extermination,” one of the gravest offenses in international law.

The findings mark the first time Amnesty has formally classified the atrocities of October 7 as crimes against humanity. The watchdog had previously accused Hamas of war crimes, but its new report concludes the assault constituted part of a “widespread or systematic attack directed against a civilian population.”

According to Amnesty, Hamas and its armed wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, were “chiefly responsible” for the mass killing of civilians. Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades, and unaffiliated civilians also took part in the assault, which left roughly 1,200 people dead and 251 taken hostage.

The report documents the deliberate targeting of civilians in homes, at two music festivals, on roads, and on beaches, contradicting Hamas leaders’ repeated claims that fighters targeted only military sites.

Amnesty said it collected evidence of assault on women during the rampage and further documented such violence committed against hostages in captivity, including forced nudity and other abuses. While the group said evidence indicates rape likely occurred, it said limitations in testimony prevented definitive conclusions on the scale.

The watchdog also said Palestinian armed groups continued committing crimes after the attack, including the mistreatment of hostages and withholding of bodies.

Hamas rejected the report outright, accusing Amnesty of “repeating the lies and allegations promoted by the occupation,” and claiming the document was intended to “distort the image of the resistance.” The group also disputed all allegations of violence against women, despite testimony from freed hostages and other evidence cited by investigators.

Israel, for its part, criticized the report for omitting examination of Israeli military conduct or Palestinian abuses against fellow Palestinians. Foreign Ministry spokesman Oren Marmorstein said the findings still “fall far short of reflecting the full scope of Hamas’s horrific atrocities,” adding that the world “does not need Amnesty International to recognize the truth of the sheer monstrosity of Hamas.”

The International Criminal Court previously sought arrest warrants for senior Hamas leaders Ismail Haniyeh, Mohammed Deif, and Yahya Sinwar for war crimes tied to the attacks. The applications were withdrawn only after all three were killed by Israel in 2024. The ICC continues to pursue warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant for alleged crimes during the Gaza war.

Amnesty, which has also accused Israel of genocide in Gaza — charges Israel vehemently rejects as fabricated — said its latest report deliberately focused only on Palestinian armed groups’ conduct.

The report highlights a widening international debate over culpability and legal accountability in the Israel-Hamas conflict. Amnesty called on Hamas, Israel, and the Palestinian Authority to investigate and prosecute the crimes documented. It also noted the absence of any meaningful condemnation from PA leadership regarding the scale of the atrocities on October 7.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)