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This Is How Hamas Treats Gay People; Why Is the World Silent?
Pro-Hamas activists gather in Washington Square Park for a rally following a protest march held in response to an NYPD sweep of an anti-Israel encampment at New York University in Manhattan, May 3, 2024. Photo: Matthew Rodier/Sipa USA via Reuters Connect
In the Gaza Strip, the harsh reality for LGBTQ+ Palestinians under Hamas rule is one of severe persecution and brutality.
Hamas, the Islamist organization that governs Gaza, enforces Sharia law, under which homosexuality is not merely illegal, but punishable by extreme measures — including torture and execution.
This oppression starkly contrasts with the freedoms enjoyed by LGBTQ+ individuals just across the border in Israel, where the queer community is protected by laws, and is fully integrated into society.
Being queer in Gaza and in Palestinian controlled regions is a perilous existence
For LGBTQ+ Palestinians in Gaza, life is a constant peril. Human rights organizations have documented numerous cases where Hamas has executed individuals suspected of being gay or lesbian. These executions are often publicized through videos and photos as a method of instilling fear and demonstrating the regime’s strict adherence to its interpretation of Sharia law. The intent is clear: to eliminate any form of dissent and maintain a strict moral code as defined by their interpretation of Islamic law.
Hamas’ treatment of LGBTQ+ individuals includes brutal practices such as executions and torture, and the US State Department confirms that both Hamas — and the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank — persecute gay people. Reports of this oppression are distressingly common. Such acts are not only a violation of basic human rights, but also a clear indication of the regime’s intolerance and cruelty towards LGBTQ+ individuals.
A desperate flight to safety — queer Palestinians must get out in order to be “out”
Faced with such severe repression, scores of LGBTQ+ Palestinians risk their lives annually to escape to Israel. The journey is fraught with danger. They must evade detection by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, navigate the perilous border, and often rely on clandestine networks to seek refuge. The contrast between the two regions is stark: in Israel, LGBTQ+ individuals find legal protection, social acceptance, and community support that are entirely absent in Gaza.
Israel offers a sanctuary where LGBTQ+ rights are enshrined in law. The state provides comprehensive healthcare, including for LGBTQ+ individuals, and there is significant representation and advocacy for the community. Israel ranks among the top countries in the world with the highest percentage of LGBTQ lawmakers and politicians. Israeli cities like Tel Aviv are known globally for their vibrant LGBTQ+ scenes, where Pride parades and public celebrations are common, symbolizing the freedom and acceptance that are standard in Israeli society.
The grim irony of asylum seeking…
This irony is not lost on the LGBTQ+ Palestinians who seek asylum in Israel. They flee from a regime that openly tortures and executes them for their identity to a nation that, while politically and militarily opposed to Hamas, provides them with refuge and safety. This situation highlights a profound human rights issue that transcends political boundaries and underscores the fundamental right to live without fear of persecution for one’s identity.
For those who make it to Israel, the transition is dramatic. Many experience the relief of living openly for the first time, supported by a network of LGBTQ+ organizations and advocates who assist them in integrating into society. They find a stark contrast in a country that upholds LGBTQ+ rights, providing a glimpse of the freedoms they have been denied in Gaza.
International response and responsibility exists, but is far too silent, uncaring, and ignoring of LGBTQ needs of Palestinians
The international community has largely been silent on the plight of LGBTQ+ individuals in Gaza and Palestinian territories in the West Bank, which are often overshadowed by broader geopolitical conflicts. However, this issue demands attention and action.
Human rights organizations have called for increased awareness and pressure on Hamas to cease its brutal practices against LGBTQ+ people. The global community must support efforts to provide safe passage and asylum for those fleeing persecution, and push for broader human rights reforms in regions under oppressive regimes.
Notably, the voices of protestors who accuse Israel of human rights violations are completely silent about the actual human rights violations of Hamas and the Palestinian Authority against their own people — especially in the LGBTQ+ community.
Moreover, it is essential to recognize the bravery of LGBTQ+ Palestinians who speak out against the regime, often at great personal risk for themselves and their loved ones. Their voices are crucial in highlighting the human rights abuses they endure and advocating for the freedoms they seek.
A call for compassion and justice; Hamas targets Palestinian LGBTQ along with targeting Israelis
The harsh treatment of LGBTQ+ Palestinians under Hamas is a grievous violation of human rights that demands urgent attention. While the geopolitical complexities of the Israeli Palestinian conflict are immense, the basic human rights of LGBTQ+ individuals should not be overshadowed. Their suffering is a stark reminder of the brutality faced by marginalized groups under oppressive regimes.
In a world where LGBTQ+ rights are increasingly recognized as fundamental human rights, the plight of LGBTQ+ Palestinians under Hamas is a call to action. It is a call for compassion, for justice, and for the global community to stand against the persecution of individuals based on their sexual orientation. Their journey from fear to freedom highlights the profound impact of living in a society that respects and protects the rights of all its citizens, regardless of their identity — and puts the differences between Israel and Hamas in stark contrast.
Yuval David is an Emmy and Multi-Award-Winning Actor, Filmmaker, Journalist, and Jewish LGBTQ+ activist and advisor. A creative and compelling storyteller, on stage and screen, news and across social media, Yuval shares the narrative of Jewish activism and enduring hope. Follow him on Instagram and X.
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UN Security Council Meets on Iran as Russia, China Push for a Ceasefire
Members of the Security Council cast a vote during a United Nations Security Council meeting on the 3rd anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine at UN headquarters in New York, US, Feb. 24, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/David Dee Delgado
The U.N. Security Council met on Sunday to discuss US strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites as Russia, China and Pakistan proposed the 15-member body adopt a resolution calling for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in the Middle East.
It was not immediately clear when it could be put to a vote. The three countries circulated the draft text, said diplomats, and asked members to share their comments by Monday evening. A resolution needs at least nine votes in favor and no vetoes by the United States, France, Britain, Russia or China to pass.
The US is likely to oppose the draft resolution, seen by Reuters, which also condemns attacks on Iran’s nuclear sites and facilities. The text does not name the United States or Israel.
“The bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities by the United States marks a perilous turn in a region that is already reeling,” U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the Security Council on Sunday. “We now risk descending into a rathole of retaliation after retaliation.”
“We must act – immediately and decisively – to halt the fighting and return to serious, sustained negotiations on the Iran nuclear program,” Guterres said.
The world awaited Iran’s response on Sunday after President Donald Trump said the US had “obliterated” Tehran’s key nuclear sites, joining Israel in the biggest Western military action against the Islamic Republic since its 1979 revolution.
U.N. nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi told the Security Council that while craters were visible at Iran’s enrichment site buried into a mountain at Fordow, “no one – including the IAEA – is in a position to assess the underground damage.”
Grossi said entrances to tunnels used for the storage of enriched material appear to have been hit at Iran’s sprawling Isfahan nuclear complex, while the fuel enrichment plant at Natanz has been struck again.
“Iran has informed the IAEA there has been no increase in off-site radiation levels at all three sites,” said Grossi, who heads the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Iran requested the U.N. Security Council meeting, calling on the 15-member body “to address this blatant and unlawful act of aggression, to condemn it in the strongest possible terms.”
Israel‘s U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon said in a statement on Sunday that the U.S. and Israel “do not deserve any condemnation, but rather an expression of appreciation and gratitude for making the world a safer place.”
Danon told reporters before the council meeting that it was still early when it came to assessing the impact of the U.S. strikes. When asked if Israel was pursuing regime change in Iran, Danon said: “That’s for the Iranian people to decide, not for us.”
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Israel Rejects Critical EU Report Ahead of Ministers’ Meeting
FILE PHOTO: Smoke rises from Gaza after an explosion, as seen from the Israeli side of the border, June 11, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Amir Cohen/File Photo
Israel has rejected a European Union report saying it may be breaching human rights obligations in Gaza and the West Bank as a “moral and methodological failure,” according to a document seen by Reuters on Sunday.
The note, sent to EU officials ahead of a foreign ministers’ meeting on Monday, said the report by the bloc’s diplomatic service failed to consider Israel’s challenges and was based on inaccurate information.
“The Foreign Ministry of the State of Israel rejects the document … and finds it to be a complete moral and methodological failure,” the note said, adding that it should be dismissed entirely.
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Pope Leo Urges International Diplomacy to Prevent ‘Irreparable Abyss’
FILE PHOTO: Pope Leo XIV holds a Jubilee audience on the occasion of the Jubilee of Sport, at St. Peter’s Basilica, at the Vatican June 14, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Yara Nardi/File Photo
Pope Leo on Sunday said the international community must strive to avoid war that risks opening an “irreparable abyss,” and that diplomacy should take the place of conflict.
US forces struck Iran’s three main nuclear sites overnight, joining an Israeli assault in a major new escalation of conflict in the Middle East as Tehran vowed to defend itself.
“Every member of the international community has a moral responsibility: to stop the tragedy of war before it becomes an irreparable abyss,” Pope Leo said during his weekly prayer with pilgrims.
“No armed victory can compensate for the pain of mothers, the fear of children, the stolen future. Let diplomacy silence the weapons, let nations chart their future with peace efforts, not with violence and bloody conflicts,” he added.
“In this dramatic scenario, which includes Israel and Palestine, the daily suffering of the population, especially in Gaza and other territories, risks being forgotten, where the need for adequate humanitarian support is becoming increasingly urgent,” Pope Leo said.
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