This report documents abuses by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups during the attacks of 7 October 2023 on southern Israel and the treatment of those seized and held captive in the occupied Gaza Strip. It concludes that the vast majority of civilians who died were killed by Palestinian fighters and that all held in Gaza were unlawfully detained as hostages. It presents evidence that some of those captured were subjected to physical and sexual violence and others were killed by their captors. It determines that many of these violations constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity, including murder and torture.
A stand-alone executive summary is available in English and other languages: Israel/Occupied Palestinian Territory: Targeting Civilians: Murder, Hostage-Taking and Other Violations by Palestinian Armed Groups in Israel and Gaza: Executive Summary (Index: MDE 15/0283/2025).
