Multiple reports of Hamas’ sexual violence during Oct. 7 emerged soon after the attack. A number of Bowman’s Democratic colleagues have decried sexual assaults during the attack going back to Oct. 9, when Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.)
asserted the attack included “the rape and killing of women, along with the murder of children and the elderly.”
On Oct. 23, the Israeli government showed dozens of foreign reporters a 43-minute video of the atrocities, including children getting killed and some Israelis being decapitated.
“[One] clip showed an Israeli woman inspecting a partially burned woman’s corpse to see if it was a family member,” The Guardian
reported that day. “The victim’s dress was pulled up to her waist and her underpants had been removed. Maj. Gen. Mickey Edelstein, who briefed reporters after the viewing, said authorities had evidence of rape.”
A few weeks later, on Nov. 10, the British newspaper also
reported that evidence of several incidents of sexual assault and rape were reportedly obtained via video footage taken by Hamas, Israeli civilians and emergency responders. Survivors and witnesses said they had seen women getting raped at a concert site in the Israeli desert.
Four days later, around 150 lawmakers
attended a screening of footage from the Oct. 7 attacks, hosted by the House Foreign Affairs Committee. While
Bowman participated in House votes that day, a spokesperson did not respond to a question about whether he attended the briefing.