MODI'IN — The Civil Commission released a 298-page report on May 12 detailing sexual violence related to the October 7 attacks. Dr. Cochav Elkayam-Levy, chairwoman and principal author of the commission, led the effort.

The commission concluded that Hamas used sexual violence as a central component of its war strategy on and after October 7, 2023. The report is based on thousands of photographs, video recordings, and survivor interviews. Militants distributed photographs and videos depicting violence and sexual abuse through email, messaging applications, and social media platforms.

Raz Cohen, a Supernova music festival survivor, provided an account, stating, "The men pulled a woman from the vehicle, forcibly removed her clothing, and raped her. They repeatedly stabbed her, killing her. They continued to rape her after her death." Agam Goldstein, a former hostage who was abducted at age 17, also provided testimony for the report regarding her conditions during captivity. Goldstein stated, "It's these little things that break you when you have no control over your body and no control over how to take care of your body."

Elkayam-Levy traveled to New York following the October 7 attacks to address the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women. "I remember feeling devastated." Elkayam-Levy said. She added, "The silence was deafening. I remember thinking we had to establish an organization. If the crimes were not being investigated, documented, and preserved with the urgency they demanded, we in Israel would have to do it ourselves."

The commission operates as an independent civilian organization separate from government institutions. "Hamas itself had uploaded and distributed large quantities of material to cause as much psychological damage as possible. We knew we had to preserve those images before they vanished." Elkayam-Levy said. "One of the things we lost from the outset was our sense of safety. Even today, that sense of vulnerability lingers." She said. Elkayam-Levy holds a fellowship at the Leonard Davis Institute for International Relations at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and received the Israel Prize in 2024 in the category of Arvut Hadadit (Mutual Responsibility).