UK report on Hamas Oct. 7 terrorist massacre details brutal slaughter of innocents
A devastating new report has shed light on the horrific atrocities committed during the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7. Among the victims named in the report are a Holocaust survivor murdered at the age of 91 and a baby killed just 14 hours after birth. The 318-page report, chaired by British historian Lord Andrew Roberts, details the deaths of 1,182 people in a 48-hour period and provides extensive evidence of the brutal and inhumane acts carried out by the attackers.
According to the report, the assault was a meticulously planned operation aimed at not only killing but also terrorizing through extreme brutality, looting, and humiliation. The report includes testimonies of group rapes of women and girls, some of whom were murdered, as well as evidence of sexual violence committed against corpses. Children, including infants shot in strollers or burned alive, were also targeted during the attack.
Lord Roberts, who led the investigation, was deeply moved by the stories of the victims’ families. He recalled meeting Mandy Damari, the mother of hostage Emily Damari, and being reduced to tears. Visiting Kibbutz Kfar Aza and hearing from families of victims while the fate of their loved ones was still unknown left a lasting impact on him.
Despite the graphic nature of the material, Lord Roberts emphasized that the report was based on verified facts and evidence. He stated that the report was deliberately limited to information that could be double-checked to ensure its accuracy and credibility.
The report exposes the horrifying acts of violence and terror carried out by Hamas terrorists during the attack. It includes accounts of mass looting, arson, mutilation, and the use of victims’ phones to send images to their families. The terrorists booby-trapped corpses with grenades, dragged bodies through Gaza, and committed acts of sexual violence across all sites during the attack.
Lord Roberts compared the attack to historical atrocities like the Rape of Nanjing in 1937, describing it as a premeditated bloodlust. He highlighted examples of heroism, such as Netta Epstein, a young man who sacrificed his life to save his fiancée by throwing himself on a grenade.
The report concludes with a call to properly memorialize the victims and reject any attempts at denialism or justification of the heinous acts committed by Hamas and its terrorist allies. Lord Roberts emphasized the importance of acknowledging the barbarism unleashed on October 7, 2023, and ensuring that such attacks are never repeated.
As an investigative reporter and war correspondent, Efrat Lachter has covered conflicts in 40 countries, including Ukraine, Russia, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, and Afghanistan. She is a recipient of the 2024 Knight-Wallace Fellowship for Journalism. Follow her on Twitter @efratlachter for more updates on her work.
