Jewish women march: ‘End silence on hostages’

As the war in Gaza entered its sixth month since Hamas attacked Israel on 7 October, a group of South African Jewish women held an International Women’s Day march yesterday to rebuke the South African government’s silence on alleged abuse by Hamas fighters against Israeli hostages.

Young and old women, including high school pupils, walked to the statue of hope at Constitutional Hill, chanting “Bring back our girls”, as they waved placards with the faces of women hostages.

Still had hope

One of the organisers, political activist Gabriella Farber-Cohen, said they were protesting to the statue of hope because they still had hope.

“This statute is called hope. It’s of a little dancing girl. And we will pray to God. We will stand outside the government. We will protest because we still have hope,” she said.

Farber-Cohen noted this International Women’s Day yesterday was different to all other international days for Jewish people around the world, especially Israeli women – yet the South African government is silent.

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“Our president, who claims that gender-based violence is such a priority for him and this country, is silent. NGOs in South Africa and women NGOs are silent,” she said.

UN report confirming hostage held captive

This comes after the UN issued a report confirming hostages held captive by Hamas in Gaza were being sexually abused.

The report came after more than two weeks of meetings on the ground, stating they found “clear and convincing” information showing Hamas committed rape and sexual abuse.

It continued stating there were “reasonable grounds” to believe this sexual violence is continuing.

National director of the SA Jewish Board of Deputies Wendy Kahn said there were 19 women still being held hostage in Gaza.

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She said Hamas released photographs of them, so they believe that most of them are still alive.

“Hamas had GoPros on them and recorded it. They recorded their own brutality. The level of cruelty and torture was just horrific. They didn’t want to just kill but wanted people to suffer,” she said.

“Hamas went into Israel on 7 October. They sexually abused, raped and gang raped people at the Nova music festival and also in their homes.”

Memorandum demanding immediate release

Kahn said they will hand over a memorandum to President Cyril Ramaphosa at the Union Buildings demanding the immediate release of the hostages. The memorandum calls on Ramaphosa to condemn the sexual violence as per the UN statement.

“Condemn the sexual violence that was perpetrated on Israeli civilian hostages in Gaza by their Hamas captors. Use all means to exert pressure on Hamas to release the hostages to end not only their captivity, but also the sexual abuse being committed against them,” the memorandum read.

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Kahn claimed they “know the ANC has a relationship with Hamas”, adding: “When Hamas was here, we know they hosted them at Luthuli House.

“So, use those relationships; put pressure on them.”

Israeli women scared and alone

Miriam Gvaram, deputy executive director of Survivors of Sexual Violence Advocacy Group, said the women in Israel were scared and felt alone. She added no one “believes the victims”.

“Hamas tortured people and killed them and showed it on Facebook Live so the family of the victims can see it. That’s terrible. We all stand together in the face of silence,” she said.

Farber-Cohen added that SA let women down internationally because “if one woman is not believed when she says that she is sexually violated, then all of us women are not going to be believed.”

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