Hollywood actress Gal Gadot has called on the United Nations to demand that every female hostage held by Hamas be released immediately, claiming that the world has failed them.
The 38-year-old actress has consistently been vocal about her support for Israel since Hamas attacked Israel eight weeks ago.
Referring to Hamas’ deadly incursion, last night she said in an Instagram post: ‘The world has failed the women of October 7th.
‘We claim we stand against rape, violence against women.
‘We will not let women be victimised and then silenced.
‘We say we believe women, stand with women, speak out for women.
Gal Gadot has been vocal about her support for Israel since Hamas terrorists attacked Israel eight weeks ago
Ms Gadot’s post makes reference to Shani Louk, 22, who was paraded in a Hamas video before a bone from the base of her skull was found three weeks after she was taken hostage
Referring to Hamas’ deadly incursion, Ms Gadot posted her message to Instagram last night
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‘On October 7th, the world witnessed Hamas carrying out its violent plans in real time. Within hours of the October 7th attack, the first blood-chilling video emerged of Shani Louk being paraded naked and defiled by her proud assailants.
‘Yet two months later women are still hostage to these rapists and the world has failed to call this situation what it is: an urgent emergency that demands a decisive response.
‘This is our moment as women and allies of women to act. I am beseeching all those who have done so much for women’s rights globally – from the UN, to the human rights community, to please join in the demand that Hamas release every single woman hostage immediately – not after the next round of international mediation, not after another day.
‘These women cannot survive another moment of this horror.’
Ms Louk’s motionless body was paraded by Hamas gunmen after the festival attack in Israel. It was unclear if she was alive in the video, although her mother later stated that she was alive and being held in a Gaza hospital
Ms Louk, 22, was German but grew up in Israel, and was one of hundreds of unsuspecting partygoers at the Nova festival where Hamas conducted a massacre of some 260 civilians
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Shani Louk, 22, was pronounced dead after a bone from the base of her skull was found three weeks after she was taken by Hamas.
Kidnapped by gunmen as she and her friends parties at the Nova festival near Kibbutz Re’im, her body was paraded after she was taken.
Though her family held out hope that she was still alive, her family confirmed her passing in late October, though the circumstances of her death, as well as where and how the bone from her skull was found, are not currently clear
Ms Gadot, who spent two years in the IDF as a combat fitness instructor, has been pushing for all remaining hostages to be released since war broke out between Israel and Hamas.
Earlier this month, she hosted a Hollywood screening to show footage of Hamas’ October 7 attack.
The 47-minute video titled ‘Bearing Witness to the October 7th Massacre’, provided by the IDF, was shown in select locations across the world including in Los Angeles and New York.
Smoke rising after Israeli attacks in Gaza, is seen from Sderot in southern Israel
Young children injured in Israeli airstrikes arrive at Nasser Medical Hospital on December 3 in Khan Younis, southern Gaza
Palestinian citizens inspect the destruction caused by air strikes on their homes on December 3, 2023 in Khan Yunis
Smoke billows over the Palestinian enclave during Israeli bombardment amid continuing battles between Israel and Hamas
The footage, which was mostly filmed by Hamas terrorists, includes murder, mass rapes and beheadings of Jewish people as well as the massacre at the Nova music festival.
Shortly after the initial attack, the former Miss Israel 2004 was one of the first Hollywood names to support Israel, writing: ‘I stand with Israel you should too. The world cannot sit on the fence when these horrific acts of terror are happening!’
The star also asked her followers to donate funds for those affected by the attacks.
Ms Gadot’s call comes as Israeli investigators probing the fallout of the brutal October 7 attacks have found evidence that men as well as women suffered 𝑠e𝑥ual violence and rape at the hands of Hamas and Islamic Jihad attackers, activists have claimed.
Yael Sherer, a spokeswoman for Israel’s Survivors of Sexual Violence advocacy group, said there was physical evidence as well as eyewitness accounts of 𝑠e𝑥ual violence perpetrated against both 𝑠e𝑥es amid the attacks.
There was 𝑠e𝑥ual violence and rape in these communities in the south of Israel… we have a few living survivors – not a lot – of both genders. It didn’t only happen to women, it happened to men as well,’ Yael Sherer told BBC Radio 4.
‘Aside from finding bodies of people who were murdered, a lot of the bodies were mutilated… terrorists made sure to disgrace these people and dishonor them,’ she added.
It comes as Israeli police opened up the biggest investigation into 𝑠e𝑥ual violence and crimes against women ever in the nation.