The US House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a bipartisan resolution condemning Hamas terrorists’ use of rape and sexual violence as weapons of war during — and since — the group’s attacks in Israel on October 7, Fox News reported.
The resolution, introduced by Rep. Lois Frankel (D-FL) and endorsed by 200 co-sponsors from both sides of the aisle, passed in a vote of 418 to 0.
One lawmaker, Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mi), voted "present."
"Our bipartisan resolution says it loud and clear: rape and sexual violence are crimes against humanity and should never be used or accepted as weapons of war," said Rep. Frankel.
The resolution "condemns all rape and forms of sexual violence as weapons of war, including those acts committed by Hamas terrorists" and 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."
It also 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 7 and hold accountable all perpetrators."
It also reaffirms the United States Government’s support for independent, impartial investigations of rape and sexual violence committed by Hamas and reaffirms its commitment to supporting survivors of rape and sexual violence, including those brutalized on and since the October 7 attacks.
Tlaib, who is notorious for her anti-Israel actions and statements, said she was "disturbed" that the resolution "completely ignores and erases any sexual violence committed" allegedly committed by IDF troops. Those claims are unsubstantiated.
Experts at the United Nations said last month that crimes committed against civilians during Hamas' October 7 attacks on Israel amounted to war crimes and could qualify as crimes against humanity.
After weeks of ignoring Hamas’ sexual violence during the October 7 attack, UN Women issued its first condemnation of the brutality in early December.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also waited nearly two months before he finally acknowledged that Hamas committed acts of sexual violence during the attack.
Israel's Ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan, said in response, “The Secretary-General's words only sharpen the fact that when it comes to Israeli women, sexual violence that has been proven by state authorities still needs to be ‘investigated.’ For him, when it comes to Israeli women, you can doubt the facts and wait 55 days to call an unknown party to conduct an ‘investigation.’ He does not acknowledge that Hamas committed these crimes!”