UN SR Violence Against Women and Girls Stony-Faced at Oct 7 Hostage and Sexual Assault Survivor’s Testimony

[CrocsNotDocs]

I used to admire Reem Alsalem and her clear defence of women’s sex-based rights. But antisemitism is a cancer and the United Nations is full of it.

Despite even the UN belatedly and grudgingly conceding that Israeli women were likely raped on October 7 2023, Reem Alsalem tweeted in 2025 “No Palestinian applauded rape in Gaza. No independent investigation found that rape took place on the 7th of October”.

Here she is stony faced (with a hint of a smirk at times) as she is forced to listen to a survivor’s testimony. This is the United Nations Special Rapporteur Violence Against Women and Girls. What. The. Actual. Fuck. This video is horrifying,

x.com/unwatch/status/2069488345592303838?s=61

Here is the transcript from the above video from hostage survivor Ilana Gritzewsky-

“Special Rapporteur, your report speaks about violence against women. Why is there no mention of Hamas?
On October 7, terrorists stormed our Kibbutz — murdering, kidnapping, and burning.
I was beaten and mutilated before blacking out.
I woke up half naked with seven terrorists standing over me, not knowing what happened to me in those lost moments.
I went through days of pain and horror in captivity, and even now the feeling of being powerless and violated still lingers.
I came back with a broken hip, a broken jaw and a shattered soul.
People see my face and think I’m free. But freedom is not a switch. Trauma doesn’t vanish once you are released.
Now, every air-raid siren, and every rocket from Iran, throws me back into that hell.
On October 7, and in captivity, Jewish women were raped, abused, and humiliated.
And you, Special Rapporteur, you chose silence and denial.
Ms. Alsalem, you said there was no evidence of sexual violence on October 7.
I am standing here today — not as a report, not as a statistic.
I am a woman who survived. I am the living proof of sexual violence by Hamas.
When I and other Israeli women begged not to be raped, why were you silent?
Please look at me. Do you believe us now?
Will you apologize?”

Ilana’s testimony is horrifying, as is Reem Alsalem’s cold blank face.

Wow! If that’s real, it’s horrific. And given the UN’s response to 7/10 attacks, it is in keeping

This is disgusting! That poor young woman shows such courage in coming forward.
Asalem’s expression shows indifference and cruelty.

When two sides are in opposition and people who are not personally involved - decide to pick a side they often become dogmatic to the extreme - with some members of both sets of supporters refusing to believe anything negative of their ‘chosen opponent.’

Atrocities from both sides should be condemned.

That’s horrific. Yes I find it hard to understand her huge blind spot when she’s so good with other VAWG topics.

I have been hugely horrified by people's dismissal of the horrors of October 7th and found it deeply upsetting.
It's incredibly concerning how many people in positions of authority just hand wave it away.

Also, considering the horrific abuse, targeting and conspiracy theories that Oct 7th survivors and families have faced after speaking out about their experiences, what a very brave woman.

Just to add, this is the first reply under X on that video. And I know that on this thread, as there have been on others, we're almost certainly going to get people landing on here and excusing it. Something has gone very wrong with humanity.

I’ve been horrified by the rape denialists. In a way we live in a post truth society where( some) people willfully ignore facts if they don’t fit with their narrative. That didn’t happen/ this never happens. The cognitive dissonance is astounding. It used to be limited to the Facebook fringes but now it’s gone mainstream.

For example many times has Donald Trump been caught in a lie? He doesn’t apologise, doesn’t change his story, just keeps repeating the same bullshit and the same segment of the population either believe or are willing to be complicit.

When I read Reem Al Salem's report on VAWG I noted that Oct 7th was omitted and raised the query of why. Most at the time said the omission was because there was no objective proof of the violence against Jewish (and other women) during the insurgency of Oct 7th. That report rang a warning bell about Al Salem - one that is utterly confirmed by her stone faced inability to look Ilana Gritzewsky in the eyes when asked to do so. Wicked woman. And a huge shame and pity that she cannot get past her anti-Semitism, because she has done so much for both VAWG and in being gender critical.

The video doesn't show any response from Reem Al-Salem, so I asked Grok, and got the following:

How did Reem Al-Salem UN Rapporteur for Violence against Women respond to Ilana Gritzewsky's testimony and questions in the 62nd session of the UN Human Rights Council?

Reem Al-Salem (UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls) gave a brief, indirect response during the 62nd session of the UN Human Rights Council (June 23, 2026) after Ilana Gritzewsky's emotional testimony.

Gritzewsky, a former Hamas hostage abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7, 2023, and held for about 55 days, directly confronted Al-Salem. She described her experiences of sexual abuse, beating, mutilation, and trauma in captivity, stating she was "living proof" of Hamas's sexual violence. She criticized Al-Salem's report on violence against mothers (which focused on Palestinian suffering in Gaza while omitting or downplaying Hamas atrocities) and accused her of silence, denial, and previously claiming no evidence of sexual violence on October 7. Gritzewsky asked Al-Salem to "look at me," believe survivors, and apologize.

Al-Salem's Response
Al-Salem did not respond immediately during the testimony and reportedly avoided looking at Gritzewsky, focusing on her screen instead. She later addressed the points after continuing other remarks (praising certain countries on women's rights and explaining omissions like Ukraine due to report length).

Her key points were:

She referred to "violence on October 7 against Israeli women and girls" (without explicitly mentioning sexual violence or rape).

She directed people to a public statement on her website for more details.

She claimed to have requested meetings with October 7 survivors and access to visit Israel and Gaza for three years, but said the Israeli government rejected these requests.

She expressed willingness to meet with Gritzewsky ("if the speaker wants to meet with me, I am always ready").

She then left the chamber quickly with her head lowered.

Context
Al-Salem has faced criticism for past statements minimizing or questioning evidence of Hamas sexual violence on October 7 and in captivity (e.g., calling related claims "misinformation"), despite reports from the UN and others finding reasonable grounds for such crimes. Her report at the session highlighted Palestinian women's suffering but was accused of omissions regarding Israeli victims.

This account draws from contemporaneous reports by UN Watch, Ynet, Times of Israel, and Israel National News, based on the session (available via UN WebTV). No full verbatim transcript of Al-Salem's reply is in the main public summaries, but her response was widely described as evasive and non-apologetic.

She is pro-Palestinian and anti-Semitic. This has only come out because of the attack on Israel. I condemn atrocities committed by Israel as well btw.

Either every life is equal or none are. If RAS can dehumanise one group of women because of their nationality, she is unfit to claim to represent all women ( if indeed she does, perhaps her title should include the caveat 'except jews Israelis') But we've known the limits of the UN since Iran was appointed to oversee womens' rights, since China/Russia get to comment on human rights. Who judges the judges?

Agree on both.

Me too.

I would say the UN does judge it’s just they can’t do anything. For example there has been many reports on the plight of the estimated 1.8 Uyghurs who have been processed through “re-education camps” in China. Problem is it’s pretty toothless. It’s largely reliant on member states applying political pressure to conform, no one has the clout or the will. As a permanent member of security council they’d obviously veto any sanctions. China of course denies and the world keeps buying cheap cotton produced from Slave labour.

I would argue that the UN functions more as a fact finder / recorder of evidence so that at some point often when the balance of powers have shifted those in charge of committing atrocities will face judgement at ICC. That’s what makes the willful disregarding in this instance so disturbing.

I do also condemn the atrocities that Israel has committed. One doesn’t cancel out or justify the other.

I can only find reports of this in two news publications, Forward and The Jewish Chronicle.
This suggests that the rest of the media has not reported it.

I realise that unfortunately in the current climate the sources I found will not be accepted as objective by some people - but there are direct quotes from Alice Edwards, and there's a video of the discussion at UCL which was on 09/06/26:
From cruelty to justice: The special rapporteur on torture in conversation | UCL Institute of Education
has been uploaded to LinkedIn by Adam Wagner - I can't access it, but it's here.
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/adam-wagner-kc-4a848814_i-documented-the-horrors-of-october-7-but-activity-7471847754877612032-M0rH

United Nations special rapporteurs were “bullied” into not signing a letter documenting allegations arising from the October 7 attacks, the global body’s special rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment has claimed.
Dr Alice Edwards said some colleagues sought to water down a January 2024 letter detailing allegations received by her office, with a “concerted effort” to prevent aspects of the massacre being formally recorded by the UN.
In a conversation at UCL in London on Tuesday with barrister Adam Wagner KC, Edwards said only one other rapporteur ultimately signed the letter.
'“There was a campaign to prevent that letter from going out. There were weeks of being bullied and deterred from writing it and telling me that everything in it was false,”
I documented the horrors of October 7 but colleagues watered it down, claims UN torture rapporteur - The Jewish Chronicle

And to head off any suggestions that she is partisan: she is even-handed and universal in her on-the-record condemnation of brutality, whether by Hamas or the IDF or anybody else.

That was a really interesting and concerning piece @MarieDeGournay thank you.

I would argue that the UN functions more as a fact finder / recorder of evidence so that at some point often when the balance of powers have shifted those in charge of committing atrocities will face judgement at ICC. That’s what makes the willful disregarding in this instance so disturbing.

I really don't believe the UN can be considered a neutral fact finder anymore. All kinds of groups produce biased reports which are then disseminated under the UN logo though they are not official reports
It really has lost its way.
Reem Alsalem is a huge disappointment.

@Imnobody4 I’d agree with you possibly should have used the word historically. I do think we are seeing the decline of a lot of institutions that were traditionally U.S. backed. Indicative of a waning of western influence.

I tried to find the Un footage of this and got lost in very long UN youtube videos.

Alsalem's response to October the 7th has previously been shocking and appalling, but I thought she looked discomfited and shaken.

I'm glad she said she would meet with Ilana Gritzewsky. Maybe naive, but I still hope that a woman who spends her life working with female victims will listen to the female victims of October the 7th.

That day has changed my whole outlook on the subject of Israel and Palestine.

Was that a smirk I just saw when asked to apologise 😮

In my experience the visceral hatred that some Muslims reserve for all Jews is matched by the visceral hatred that some Jews reserve for all Muslims.

What has that got to do with the topic of the thread?