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Transcript/ScriptUSAGM SHARE
((PLAYBOOK SLUG: ISRAEL-HAMAS – FEMALE HOSTAGES HEALTH
HEADLINE: Israeli Families Highlight Risk of Sexual Violence for Female Hostages
TEASER:
PUBLISHED AT: 11/14/2023 at 11:35am
BYLINE: Natasha Mozgovaya
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: Tel-Aviv
VIDEOGRAPHER: Marie Cieslak, Natasha Mozgovaya
VIDEO EDITOR:
ASSIGNING EDITOR:
SCRIPT EDITORS: MAS, Reifenrath, DJ (OK)
VIDEO SOURCE (S): VOA
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV __ RADIO __
TRT: TVR
VID APPROVED BY: MAS
TYPE: TVPKG
EDITOR NOTES:)) Planning to send web version with photos as well.))
((INTRO))
[[Sexual violence can be a weapon in warfare. And female hostages face unique risks, warns a report submitted to the International Red Cross by a medical team of the Israeli Hostages and Missing Families forum. The group was formed to bring home the Israelis kidnapped by Hamas militants. VOA’s Natasha Mozgovaya has more from Tel Aviv, Israel. First, a warning. This following video contains graphic images that some may find disturbing.]]
((STANDUP))
((Natasha Mozgovaya, VOA News))
Two-hundred-and-39 Israeli hostages are believed to be held by Hamas in Gaza. About 100 of them are women. About a third of theses women are under 18 years old.
((NARRATION))
In Hamas' attack on kibbutz Be’eri, Reuma Tarshansky
((Credit: Tarshansky Family))
lost her 15-year-old son, Lior. Her teenage daughter,
((end courtesy))
Gali, was abducted and taken to Gaza.
She has not heard anything about Gali's condition for more than a month.
((Reuma Tarshansky, Mother of Kidnapped Teen (female in Hebrew)))
“Gali is 13. She is a teenage girl. My biggest nightmares at night are related to this subject. Puberty age, the changes she is going through, she is alone there. I don’t know what they did to her.”
((NARRATION))
Legal and medical experts working with the hostages’ families on Monday submitted a report to the International Red Cross listing the female hostages' pre-existing medical conditions — ranging from heart disease to diabetes to asthma — and warning that in violent conflicts, women are especially vulnerable to sexual abuse.
[[FOR RADIO: Ruth Halperin-Kaddari is an Israeli legal scholar and expert on international women's rights.]]
((Ruth Halperin-Kaddari, Expert on International Women's Rights (female, English)))
“The body of women is very often taken as a symbol of the body of the nation, and so violating the woman is actually violating the whole nation of the enemy. They are more susceptible to these forms of crimes. And international law, the United Nations and the ICC [International Criminal Court] recognized that conflict-related sexual violence is a special form of war crime and crimes against humanity.”
((NARRATION))
((Courtesy: Video obtained by Reuters))
Halperin-Kaddari told VOA more rights groups should draw attention to Hamas' actions the day of the attack.
((Ruth Halperin-Kaddari, Expert on International Women's Rights))
“All of them resorted to the conventional symmetry, addressing the suffering of both sides of the conflict. And I want this to be clear. I am not denying for the moment, for a moment the suffering of women and children of innocent civilians in Gaza. But what happened on October 7 stands out. It is not part of the symmetrical war between Israel and Gaza. It is something else. And it should be acknowledged. It should be recognized as a crime against humanity of the most cruel form ever committed in modern history." [00:03:22][55.1]
((NARRATION))
Hamas also kidnapped Yarden Gonen’s 23-year-old sister,
((Courtesy: Gonen Family))
Romi, from the music festival in southern Israel. She’s still being held hostage in Gaza.
She says that her sister has asthma and kidney stones. And she is worried about the potential for sexual violence.
((Yarden Gonen, Sister of Israeli Hostage)) (female, speaks English)
“Every minute, someone can harm her. What is stopping them from doing that? You know, they did it on October 7th for so many women.”
((NARRATION))
((Courtesy: Telegram logo))
((Courtesy: Astra))
Gonen pleaded for more women’s organizations to speak out for the release of the hostages.
((End courtesies telegram and Astra))
((Yarden Gonen, Sister of Israeli Hostage))
Where are you? How could you leave us alone? How could you leave my sister alone? Why couldn't you speak until now?
((NARRATION))
((Courtesy: Video obtained by Reuters))
Israeli police are investigating reports of sexual assaults by Hamas and are using video recordings, forensic evidence and testimonies in their search for those responsible.
((Natasha Mozgovaya, VOA News, Tel Aviv, Israel))
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Embargo DateNovember 15, 2023 11:48 EST
BylineNatasha Mozgovaya
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English, US Agency for Global Media
