Israeli officials lashed out at The New York Times after it alleged that Israel routinely uses rape and multiple forms of sexual violence in what the report implied amounted to an unofficial but sanctioned policy of abuse.
The New York Times report came as an Israeli commission investigating allegations of rape during the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre of Israel civilians at the hands of Hamas issued its report detailing the extensive use of sexual violence by Hamas that day, according to The Times of Israel. The Israeli report was based on more than 10,000 pieces of visual evidence and more than 430 interviews.
“Taken together, the Commission’s investigation reveals a coordinated assault in which sexual violence was used to terrorize victims, families, communities, and society at large,” the study asserted. “Our conclusion is unequivocal: sexual and gender-based violence formed a central component of the October 7 attack and of hostages’ captivity,” the report said.
The comprehensive Israeli indictment of Palestinian atrocities led Richard Goldberg, a senior advisor at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, to question the timing.
Everyone who works for the New York Times should at least be honest with themselves about what their paper did today: Participate in a perverted campaign to help Jew haters validate a fictional talking point to counter very real testimonials about Hamas’s crimes against humanity.
— Richard Goldberg (@rich_goldberg) May 12, 2026
“Everyone who works for the New York Times should at least be honest with themselves about what their paper did today: Participate in a perverted campaign to help Jew haters validate a fictional talking point to counter very real testimonials about Hamas’s crimes against humanity,” he posted on X.
The New York Times report said Palestinians of all ages and both sexes are systematically raped and otherwise sexually abused by Israelis who come in contact with them, ranging from “soldiers, settlers, interrogators in the Shin Bet internal security agency and, above all, prison guards.”
“There is no evidence that Israeli leaders order rapes,” the report said, while noting that groups like the United Nations and the Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor have publicized accounts of rape and sexual abuse.
So the @nytimes runs a story supporting Hamas lies. Even suggesting the IDF trains dogs to rape people.
The first person the article story relies on is Sami al-Sai.
I found his FB account. Here he is celebrating the Hamas attacks on October 7.
The NYT spreads Hamas lies. pic.twitter.com/PfeUtqQ80k
— David Collier (@mishtal) May 11, 2026
The report includes allegations of rape from Sami al-Sai, who is alleged by journalist David Collier to be a Hamas sympathizer.
“So the @nytimes runs a story supporting Hamas lies. Even suggesting the IDF trains dogs to rape people. The first person the article story relies on is Sami al-Sai. I found his FB account. Here he is celebrating the Hamas attacks on October 7. The NYT spreads Hamas lies,” Collier posted.
In response to the hit piece, the Israeli Foreign Ministry posted on X that The New York Times “chose to publish one of the worst blood libels ever to appear in the modern press.”
Today, the @nytimes chose to publish one of the worst blood libels ever to appear in the modern press.
In an unfathomable inversion of reality, and through an endless stream of baseless lies, propagandist Nicholas Kristof turns the victim into the accused.
Israel – whose…— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) May 11, 2026
“In an unfathomable inversion of reality, and through an endless stream of baseless lies, propagandist Nicholas Kristof turns the victim into the accused. Israel — whose citizens were the victims of the most horrific sexual crimes committed by Hamas on October 7, and whose hostages were later subjected to further sexual abuse — is portrayed as the guilty party,” the ministry posted.
The @nytimes and @NickKristof count on you not pulling the curtain back on their lies.
Don’t buy into their blood libels – watch and find out who’s really behind this narrative. pic.twitter.com/Rf94hYlIFw
— Ambassador Yechiel (Michael) Leiter (@yechielleiter) May 12, 2026
“This publication is no coincidence. It is part of a false and well-orchestrated anti-Israel campaign aimed at placing Israel on the UN Secretary-General’s blacklist. Israel will fight these lies with the truth — and the truth will prevail,” the ministry posted.
The agency noted that The New York Times sought to cover up the atrocities of Hamas.
“Months ago, the Civil Commission approached the New York Times with a report on Hamas’ systematic sexual violence on Oct. 7 and after. The @nytimes said it was not interested. This comprehensive and well-documented report was published this morning by CNN and other international outlets. Aware of the report and its release date, the night before its release the NYT ran a shameful attack on Israel, belittling Hamas’ sexual crimes. That tells you everything about the NYT’s agenda,” the ministry posted on X.
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