According to Human Rights Watch, Hamas committed crimes against humanity and war crimes on October 7

Stephanie Sy:

A new report released today by Human Rights Watch concludes that Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups committed war crimes and crimes against humanity during the October 7 attacks last year.

The report shows how Palestinian fighters carried out a coordinated attack – quote – “aimed at killing civilians and taking as many hostages as possible.” Nearly 1,200 people were killed in Israel that day, including more than 800 civilians; 251 people were taken hostage, and about 120 are still being held in Gaza.

To find out more details, I can meet with Ida Sawyer, crisis and conflict director at Human Rights Watch in Washington.

Ida, thank you for joining us on the News Hour.

As you know, a lot of testimony, videos and photos have emerged since the October 7 attacks. Tell me what is new about this report and why it is so important to bring all this research together in one document.

Ida Sawyer, director of crises, conflict, and weapons at Human Rights Watch: So this is the first comprehensive report to examine virtually every attack on a civilian facility on October 7. As you said, a lot has been written about October 7, but this report is important because it documents specific crimes, provides clear information about which groups were responsible, and shows how much planning and coordination went into these crimes.

We concluded that the killing of civilians and the taking of hostages were central objectives of the planned attack and that they were not actions that occurred after the fact, as part of a failed plan, or as isolated acts, such as those committed exclusively by innocent Palestinian civilians in Gaza.

And we hope that this documentation can support the efforts for accountability. It is also important for the victims and their families to know that what they experienced is well documented and will not be forgotten.