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‘It Has to Be Told and Believed’: Former Meta COO Sheryl Sandberg Discusses Documenting Hamas’ Oct. 7 Sexual Assault
Sheryl Sandberg at the 2022 Women’s Media Awards at The Mandarin Oriental Hotel in New York, New York, on Nov. 17, 2022. Photo: Gabriele Holtermann-Gorden/Sipa via Reuters Connect
Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook’s former chief operating officer, recently discussed her commitment to sharing with the world through her recently released YouTube documentary the first-hand testimonies and stories of women who were sexually assaulted, raped, abducted, and murdered during the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks in Israel.
“It’s very hard to watch, but this is a story that has to be told and believed. It really is the most important work of my life,” Sandberg told People magazine in a recent interview. “No matter what flag you fly, no matter what you’re marching for, no matter what you believe, rape is not acceptable as a tool of war. Full stop.”
Sandberg, 54, flew to Israel in late January to film a YouTube documentary she titled “Screams Before Silence,” in which she speaks with witnesses and survivors of the Oct. 7 attacks who share their first-hand testimonies of sexual assault and rape. The almost hour-long documentary includes interviews with freed hostages, first responders, legal, medical, and forensic experts, and experts in the field of sexual violence, one of whom explained why rape is such an effective tool in war. The film was released in mid-April and has garnered over 1 million views on YouTube.
Former hostages have spoken publicly about the sexual abuse they experienced by Hamas terrorists, and there has been widespread evidence that sexual violence took place both during the Oct. 7 Hamas assault and afterwards against hostages. The United Nations said there is “clear and convincing information” and “reasonable grounds” to believe rape and other forms of sexual violence were committed by Hamas. Still, many deny that Hamas terrorists carried out sexual violence against their victims on Oct. 7, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary.
“This documentary is the story of how so many women and men — how many, we may never know — spent the last moments of their lives. People need to see the facts here,” Sandberg told People magazine, in response to a question about those who deny the sexual violence discussed in her film. “People need to be honest about what happened on Oct 7. And if it doesn’t fit into your narrative, then rethink your narrative,” she added. “We need to remain united no matter what else you think. We’ve got to be united against sexual assault.”
When asked why she felt compelled to make “Screams Before Silence,” Sandberg replied, “I had to do this.”
“I wish this work wasn’t necessary, but I really feel like everything I’ve done in my life has led me to this moment where I could help bear witness,” she explained. “I’ve obviously been a businessperson and I’ve been a very outspoken feminist for a very long time. But I didn’t think in my lifetime, especially after #MeToo, that I would see such a lack of outrage at best or denial at worst of the sexual violence that occurred on Oct. 7. I can’t let that happen.”
She also told People the sexual violence that occurred on Oct. 7 needs to be considered a global issue.
“Rape goes to the heart of who we are,” she said. “What’s interesting is that Hamas seems very proud of what they’ve done [in attacking Israel], reminding everyone that they’re going to keep coming back again and again. Yet they deny the rapes. In a world where they’re saying, ‘Yay, we killed Jews,’ they are denying that the rapes happened. This can’t just be a women’s issue. It’s got to be an issue for all of us.”
The post ‘It Has to Be Told and Believed’: Former Meta COO Sheryl Sandberg Discusses Documenting Hamas’ Oct. 7 Sexual Assault first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Pro-Palestinian Rapper Leads ‘Death to the IDF’ Chant at English Music festival
Revellers dance as Avril Lavigne performs on the Other Stage during the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm, in Pilton, Somerset, Britain, June 30, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Dylan Martinez
i24 News – Chants of “death to the IDF” were heard during the English Glastonbury music festival on Saturday ahead of the appearance of the pro-Palestinian Irish rappers Kneecap.
One half of punk duo based Bob Vylan (who both use aliases to protect their privacy) shouted out during a section of their show “Death to the IDF” – the Israeli military. Videos posted on X (formerly Twitter) show the crowd responding to and repeating the cheer.
This comes after officials had petitioned the music festival to drop the band. The rap duo also expressed support for the following act, Kneecap, who the BCC refused to show live after one of its members, Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh – better known by stage name Mo Chara – was charged with a terror offense.
The post Pro-Palestinian Rapper Leads ‘Death to the IDF’ Chant at English Music festival first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Rubio Holds First Meeting with Hostage Families, Urges End to Gaza War
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio attends a cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington, DC, US, April 10, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Nathan Howard
i24 News – US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held on Friday his first meeting with the families of the hostages still held in Gaza since taking office in January, telling the loved ones that a “real victory” can only occur in Gaza when the remaining hostages are returned.
Those in attendance included Omri Miran’s brother-in-law; Evyatar David’s brother; Hadar Goldin’s brother; and Iair Horn, who himself is a freed hostage, with his brother Eitan still held by Hamas in Gaza.
According to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, they urged the current US administration for a “bold decision.” “We’ve waited long enough,” the family members said. “It’s time to make brave decisions and bring all our loved ones back—all at once.”
Rubio, in turn, expressed the Trump administration’s “unwavering commitment” in rescuing the 49 remaining hostages, 20 of whom are believed to still be alive.
This meeting comes after U.S. President Donald Trump said earlier this week that he believes a ceasefire will be reached between Israel and Hamas “within the next week.”
The post Rubio Holds First Meeting with Hostage Families, Urges End to Gaza War first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Trump Says He Would Consider Bombing Iran Again, Drops Sanctions Relief Plan
US President Donald Trump speaks at a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte (not pictured), at the NATO summit in The Hague, Netherlands, June 25, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Brian Snyder
US President Donald Trump sharply criticized Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamanei, on Friday, dropped plans to lift sanctions on Iran and said he would consider bombing Iran again if Tehran is enriching uranium to worrisome levels.
Trump reacted sternly to Khamanei’s first remarks after a 12-day conflict with Israel that ended when the United States launched bombing raids last weekend against Iranian nuclear sites.
Khamanei said Iran “slapped America in the face” by launching an attack against a major US base in Qatar following the US bombing raids. Khamanei also said Iran would never surrender.
Trump said he had spared Khamanei’s life. US officials told Reuters on June 15 that Trump had vetoed an Israeli plan to kill the supreme leader.
“His Country was decimated, his three evil Nuclear Sites were OBLITERATED, and I knew EXACTLY where he was sheltered, and would not let Israel, or the U.S. Armed Forces, by far the Greatest and Most Powerful in the World, terminate his life,” Trump said in a social media post.
“I SAVED HIM FROM A VERY UGLY AND IGNOMINIOUS DEATH,” he said.
Iran said a potential nuclear deal was conditional on the US ending its “disrespectful tone” toward the Supreme Leader.
“If President Trump is genuine about wanting a deal, he should put aside the disrespectful and unacceptable tone towards Iran’s Supreme Leader, Grand Ayatollah Khamenei, and stop hurting his millions of heartfelt followers,” Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said in a post on X in the early hours of Saturday.
Trump also said that in recent days he had been working on the possible removal of sanctions on Iran to give it a chance for a speedy recovery. He said he had now abandoned that effort.
“I get hit with a statement of anger, hatred, and disgust, and immediately dropped all work on sanction relief, and more,” he said.
Trump said at a White House news conference that he did not rule out attacking Iran again, when asked about the possibility of new bombing of Iranian nuclear sites if deemed necessary at some point.
“Sure, without question, absolutely,” he said.
Trump said he would like inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency – the U.N. nuclear watchdog – or another respected source to be able to inspect Iran’s nuclear sites after they were bombed last weekend.
Trump has rejected any suggestion that damage to the sites was not as profound as he has said.
The IAEA chief, Rafael Grossi, said on Wednesday that ensuring the resumption of IAEA inspections was his top priority as none had taken place since Israel began bombing on June 13.
However, Iran’s parliament approved moves on Wednesday to suspend such inspections. Araqchi indicated on Friday that Tehran may reject any request by the head of the agency for visits to Iranian nuclear sites.
Trump said Iran still wants to meet about the way forward. The White House had said on Thursday that no meeting between the U.S. and an Iranian delegation has been scheduled thus far.
The post Trump Says He Would Consider Bombing Iran Again, Drops Sanctions Relief Plan first appeared on Algemeiner.com.