Cochav Elkayam-Levy: Hamas weaponized rape and humiliation on Oct. 7

Cochav Elkayam-Levy: Hamas weaponized rape and humiliation on Oct. 7

From What Matters Now by The Times of Israel

May 12, 2026 · 36 min

About this episode

The episode discusses the systemic use of rape and sexual violence by Hamas during their attacks on October 7, featuring insights from legal expert Dr. Cochav Elkayam-Levy.

Welcome to What Matters Now, a weekly podcast exploring one key issue currently shaping Israel and the Jewish World. This week, host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan speaks with legal expert Dr. Cochav Elkayam-Levy . Almost immediately following Hamas’s murderous onslaught on southern Israel, humanitarian law expert Elkayam-Levy established and now heads The Civil Commission on Oct. 7th Crimes by Hamas against Women and Children. On May 12, the commission released a massive report that documents and chronicles Hamas’s systemic use of rape and sexual violence against women -- and men -- on October 7, while taking hostages and during their captivities. Elkayam-Levy visited The Times of Israel's Jerusalem studio for this wide-ranging conversation. Listener discretion is advised. Since the Hamas onslaught on southern Israel, Elkayam-Levy and her team of forensics and legal experts, alongside professional archivists and others, have carefully gathered witness testimony and over 10,000 pieces of visual evidence that prove the terrorists' use of sex abuse as a tactical war crime. We hear about 13 categories of abuse perpetrated on people from over 50 nationalities. We learn…

People in this episode

Host: Amanda Borschel-Dan

Guest: Dr. Cochav Elkayam-Levy

Topics covered

  • Hamas
  • war crimes
  • sexual violence
  • humanitarian law
  • Israel
  • women and children

Keywords

  • Hamas
  • rape
  • sexual violence
  • war crimes
  • Israel
  • humanitarian law
  • October 7
  • Dr. Cochav Elkayam-Levy
  • witness testimony
  • forensic evidence

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: The Civil Commission on Oct. 7th Crimes by Hamas against Women and Children, Hamas

Places: Israel, Jerusalem, Syria, southern Israel

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