Date: October 30, 2023
To: Sima Bahous
Executive Director of UN Women
220 E 42nd St, New York, NY 10017, United States
Dear Executive Director Bahous,
We write to you with deep concern about the situation in the region and, more specifically, to urgently request UN Women’s intervention to safeguard the rights and well-being of all women and girls, including those who have been attacked, raped, kidnapped, and murdered by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups.
The statement by UN Women on October 13th, though appreciated, appears to fall short in fully addressing and safeguarding the rights and well-being of victims who have endured significant hardships in recent events. Our primary concern is the perceived bias in the statement and its omission of acknowledgment regarding the many women and girls in Israel who have suffered due to the atrocities committed by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups.
We wholeheartedly support UN Women’s commitment to the well-being of Palestinian women. However, it is essential that this commitment is not one-sided.
The acts of terror by Hamas against hundreds of women and girls are truly horrific. These ruthless actions include ripping open the belly of a pregnant woman and beheading her unborn child, slaughtering, raping, burning, beheading, and mutilating Israeli women and girls, and burning women and girls alive. Moreover, several women and girls were kidnapped and are still today being held hostage in the Gaza Strip.
It is imperative that UN Women’s mission embraces the well-being of all women and girls, without exception. We, therefore, strongly urge you to take immediate and decisive action to protect and provide unwavering support to the countless women and girls who have suffered at the hands of Hamas and other Palestinian terrorist groups.
