US Official Says Failed Hostage Negotiations Point to Abuse of Women by Hamas

Department of State spokesperson Matthew Miller says the White House has no reason to doubt the reports Hamas has committed sexual violence and rape.

Photographs of some of those taken hostage by Hamas during their recent attacks are seen in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Oct. 18, 2023. Leon Neal/Getty Images

A U.S. official has speculated that Hamas is refusing to release more hostages, specifically female hostages, out of fear that could reveal the poor treatment and other atrocities inflicted upon them by the terrorist organization.

In a Dec. 4 U.S. Department of State daily press briefing, Spokesperson Matthew Miller said the Biden Administration had no reason to doubt reports of alleged sexual violence and rape against female hostages perpetuated by Hamas. However, he did note that one of the main reasons the White House had yet to make a firm statement condemning the actions was because they hadn’t independently verified some of the reports yet.

Mr. Miller speculated during the briefing that one causes of the recent ceasefire negotiations ultimately falling apart was because Hamas “don’t want those women to be able to talk about what happened to them during their time in custody.”

“Certainly, there is very little that I would put beyond Hamas when it comes to its treatment of civilians, and particularly, its treatment of women,” he added.

He also revealed that a “number of people” hold the same belief. However, Mr. Miller later corrected earlier statements he made in the briefing, when he called the reports of sexual violence against hostages fact.

“I won’t say fact, because I don’t know it for a fact. But certainly, one of the reasons that a number of people believe they refused to release them is that they didn’t want people to hear what those women would have to say publicly,” he said.

Israel’s war with the Hamas resumed on Dec. 1 after a weeklong truce ended. Israel agreed to release 240 Palestinian prisoners as Hamas freed over 100 hostages during this time. It’s estimated at least another 100 Israeli hostages remain in captivity with the terrorist group. Their condition is unknown.

U.S. and Israeli officials blame Hamas for the truce falling apart. They accused Hamas of failing to produce a list of additional women and children for release. Hamas blames Israel for the truce ending, claiming they won’t release any more hostages until the fighting ends.

Mr. Miller said the “humanitarian pause” was negotiated in very clear terms, including that “children and women would be the first priority to be released,” an agreement he claims that Hamas violated almost immediately.

After the truce ended, Mr. Miller says Hamas continued to hold women who “should have been the next to be released,” and when it came time to follow through on the agreement, Hamas “refused to release them.”

“They broke the deal, came up with excuses why. Ultimately, I don’t think any of those excuses were credible and I shouldn’t get into any of them here,” he added.

Israeli officials continue to investigate and collect evidence of Hamas committing sexual violence as a tool of war—including rape and other grievous atrocities—mainly targeting Israeli women as part of the group’s assault on Israel.

According to the U.N. Security Council resolution 1820, adopted in 2008, “rape and other forms of sexual violence can constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity.”