WASHINGTON, D.C. — On the solemn one-year anniversary of the devastating October 7, 2023, attacks on Israeli women and girls by Hamas terrorists, Independent Women’s Forum’s (IWF) Center for American Safety and Security is renewing its call for the Biden-Harris administration to take stronger, clearer action in addressing the surge in violence against women and girls. The Muslim American Leadership Alliance (MALA) joined IWF in issuing the demand letter.

As the world recounts the horror of the Hamas-led attacks—which included premeditated murder, mass rape, violent sexual assault, and the deliberate use of real-time documentation and broadcasting of these crimes as psychological warfare—IWF is reminding the Biden-Harris administration of the impact of its U.S. foreign aid, which is being funneled to support regimes that grotesquely violate women’s human rights.

The letter states, in part:

“Our tax dollars are being funneled into oppressive, theocratic regimes that systematically disenfranchise and endanger women and girls. On this somber anniversary of the October 7 massacre, which also tragically demonstrated how U.S. funds were misused to finance terrorism, it is clear that this must stop. The Biden-Harris administration must take decisive action to ensure that U.S. aid does not support regimes that violate the basic rights of women and girls, and that our policies both at home and abroad reflect our commitment to human dignity and equality.”

Read the full letter HERE.

“The anniversary of October 7th, 2023, serves as a stark reminder of the unspeakable violence perpetrated against women and girls—violence that was met with an alarming silence from global leaders. The deliberate use of sexual violence as a weapon of war is an age-old atrocity, yet it took far too long for international bodies to acknowledge the suffering of Israeli women. As we reflect on this dark period, we must demand a clear and unambiguous global response to gender-based violence in conflict zones around the world. Whether it happens in Israel, Ukraine, or Sudan, the dignity of women is non-negotiable. Leaders must act decisively, for silence only fuels the cycle of violence,” said Meaghan Mobbs, director of the Center for American Safety and Security at IWF. Mobbs has a new op-ed in Fox News about the anniversary of the Oct. 7 attack titled, “On Oct. 7 anniversary, we remember this betrayal of silence.”

“In the last year, we have seen time and time again the brutal reality of Hamas. Their violent regime uses rape and sexual violence as weapons of war against women and preys on innocent civilians. Since last Oct. 7, I have worked around the clock to ensure the U.S. stands shoulder to shoulder with our greatest ally in the Middle East to hold these terrorists accountable and return our hostages. This inhumanity must end,” said Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA).

“On October 7, 2023, the world watched in horror as Hamas terrorists viciously attacked Israel. In the difficult year following this attack, the resilience shown by the Israeli people serves as an inspiration to us all. The Jewish faith is strong, the Israeli people are strong, and as an American—I will always proudly stand with our democratic ally, Israel,” said Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-OR).

“October 7th Israel marks the one year anniversary of the Hamas attacks, the single most colossal atrocity claiming Jewish lives since the Holocaust. In my own observations in the field as a human rights observer and physician I have gathered, recorded, and filmed numerous eyewitness accounts in Israel, visited multiple places of atrocities in Israel—places both of murder and sexual violations—and also examined the bodies and remains of those murdered at the hands of Hamas. For Israel, October 7th marks one year of mourning and one year of war. I have resolved to never fall silent in either the face of Islamist jihadism or the rising tide of denial and antisemitism that fuels such erasure of Jewish humanity,” said Independent Women’s Forum Senior Fellow Dr. Qanta Ahmed.

“One year has passed since Hamas savagely attacked Israel. Women and children were killed, raped, and tortured. In the face of this horrifying brutality, the Israeli spirit has remained strong. We must continue to be steadfast in our support of Israel as they fight evil,” said Andi Bottner, vice president of external relations at Independent Women’s Forum and former director of the International Women’s Issues Office at the U.S. Department of State.

Independent Women’s Forum released its “Where are the #BringBackOurGirls voices now?” video and Our Girls petition campaign on May 7 to bring attention to not only the ongoing silence, but also the hypocrisy of prominent #BringBackOurGirls supporters—including world leaders, feminist women’s organizations, celebrities, and other public figures who once backed women’s rights—in the wake of the atrocities committed against Israeli women and girls by Hamas on October 7, 2023. 

Independent Women’s Forum’s Center for American Safety and Security hosted an X Space event today to discuss the anniversary of the October 7, 2023 attack in Israel and the need to prioritize the safety and protection of women and girls globally. Mobbs led the conversation, which featured:

  • Michele Hanash, director of Policy and Women’s Programs at the AHA Foundation
  • Bethany Mandel, journalist and co-author of Stolen Youth: How Radicals Are Erasing Innocence and Indoctrinating a Generation
  • Lyndsey Fifield, visiting fellow at Independent Women’s Forum
  • Inez Stepman, senior policy and legal analyst for Independent Women’s Forum and Independent Women’s Law Center

Listen to the X Space event HERE

Direct all press inquiries to [email protected].

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