Israel Condemns UN’s ‘Blood Libel’ Accusations and Awaits Last American-Israeli Hostage Release
According to a United Nations news report, Israel systematically destroyed women's healthcare facilities and used sexual violence as a war strategy, a claim that Israel denies.
"Israel is increasingly using sexual and gender-based violence as a method of war to destabilize, dominate, oppress, and destroy the Palestinian people," said Chris Sidoti of the Commission of Inquiry on the "Occupied Palestinian Territory" report. "The Commission documented a pattern of sexual violence, including cases of torture, rape, and other severe acts that amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity," Sidoti asserted.
Per CBN News, top Israeli leaders have denounced these allegations against the country.
"We've seen an unbelievable blood libel," Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar responded.
Regarding the commission's report, Sa'ar stated, "The so-called Commission of Inquiry of the Human Rights Council of the United Nations published one of the worst blood libels the world has ever seen – and we had seen many."
"It accuses the victims of the crimes committed against them. Hamas is the organization that has committed horrific sexual crimes against Israelis on October 7th," the foreign minister added. "It is indeed a sick publication that only an antisemitic organization could produce."
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, along with some women's groups and Israel's Mission to the U.N., also denounced the report as unfounded and antisemitic.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Ambassador-designate to the U.N., Elise Stefanik, argued that the report fails to condemn Hamas' October 7th massacre on Israel.
"The so-called 'Human Rights Council' has failed to condemn the barbaric atrocities committed by Hamas terrorists against Israel, including the brutal slaughter, torture, kidnapping of thousands of innocent civilians, and Hamas' horrific use of rape and sexual violence against Israeli women and girls, yet disgracefully attacks Israel with unfounded smears," Stefanik wrote on X.
"This report exposes the disgraceful and obsessive antisemitism of UNHRC and reaffirms why President Trump took the strong, correct, decisive executive action to withdraw from it," she added.
The corrupt UN Human Rights Council’s new baseless report is antisemitic and anti-Israel slander. The so called “Human Rights Council” has failed to condemn the barbaric atrocities committed by Hamas terrorists against Israel including the brutal slaughter, torture, kidnapping of…
— Rep. Elise Stefanik (@RepStefanik) March 13, 2025
The report's release coincides with the annual Jewish celebration of Purim, a holiday marking the time when a wicked leader, Haman, plotted to destroy the Jewish people in ancient Persia. However, God would raise up Esther, the Jewish queen of Persia, to thwart Haman's plans.
On Friday, Hamas agreed to release 21-year-old Edan Alexander, the final American hostage held captive in the Gaza Strip for 525 days.
Alexander, who is Israeli American, will be released along with the bodies of four other hostages. Although the date of the release has not yet been made, it comes amid ongoing discussions in Qatar to establish the next phase of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire, which initially ended on March 1st.
Meanwhile, Steve Witkoff, special envoy to the Middle East, presented a proposal that Israel and Hamas extended the ceasefire by several weeks.
"While Israel has accepted the Witkoff proposal, Hamas remains firm in its refusal and has not moved an inch," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday. "At the same time, it continues to employ manipulations and psychological warfare."
Speaking to reporters outside the White House last week, Witkoff said, "Edan Alexander is very important to us as all the hostages are."
Alexander, who was born in Israel, spent the majority of his life in New Jersey and later enlisted in the Israeli Defense Force (IDF). During the October 7th massacre, Alexander was serving as IDF's Golani Brigade before being taken hostage by Hamas.
WATCH: Hamas Agrees to Release Israeli-American Hostage Edan Alexander
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Amir Levy/Stringer
Originally published March 14, 2025.
