Two Israeli jurists are urging Europe to confront the full scale of Hamas’ October 7 crimes, warning that silence and denial risk paving the way for future atrocities.

By Javier Villamor,  The European Conservative via EJP

Two Israeli jurists investigating Hamas’ October 7 attacks say the massacre revealed a horrifying new pattern of violence—families deliberately targeted, parents forced to watch their children die, and homes burned alive.

Speaking in Brussels at an event hosted by the European Jewish Association (EJA), Dr. Cochav Elkayam-Levy and Adv. Merav Israeli-Amarant said the scale of the crimes against women and children was “unprecedented,” yet rapidly denied by much of the international community. Their Civil Commission on October 7th Crimes by Hamas Against Women and Children has spent two years compiling a secure war crimes archive of survivor testimonies, medical reports, and even Hamas’ own recordings to ensure the atrocities are documented for future prosecutions.

During their visit, both women spoke with europeanconservative.com about the scale of the atrocities committed by Hamas and their ongoing efforts to ensure that justice is done.

Dr. Elkayam-Levy described the Commission’s work as “a legal and historical project” designed to ensure that what happened on October 7, 2023, is documented and accessible for future prosecutions.

We have established a war crime archive on Hamas’ crimes against women and children. The materials include testimonies from survivors, first responders, and medical personnel, as well as Hamas’ own recordings. It is a closed, trauma-informed and secure archive meant for prosecutors, historians, and legal scholars to study in the years to come.

The Israeli jurist, an expert in international law, said the team has been working “daily for two years” analysing and cataloguing evidence.

Usually, crimes against women and children are the most denied and the most fragile. That is why we knew it was vital to preserve the testimonies and images—because denial began almost immediately.

Her colleague, Adv. Merav Israeli-Amarant added that the scale and visibility of the crimes make them unprecedented. She told europeanconservative.com:

October 7 is the most documented atrocity in human history — and yet, the most denied. Hamas committed what we call the perfect crime: they sexually tortured and murdered their victims, leaving few witnesses. And now, the world does not want to listen.

Israeli-Amarant, who has worked for years defending victims of sexual abuse, warned that silence and indifference could allow these crimes to be repeated.

The court of public opinion is deaf. Our duty, as citizens and journalists, is to listen and to look at what happened—because this pattern of terror can be copied elsewhere.

Among the Commission’s findings is a recurring pattern that both experts believe requires a new legal definition: family-targeted terror. Dr. Elkayam-Levy explained:

We saw mothers and children separated, families burned alive, parents forced to watch their children die. These acts were not random. They were part of a deliberate strategy to weaponise the family unit itself.

The Commission has shared its findings with prominent international jurists, including Prof. Irwin Cotler and Prof. David Crane, former war crimes prosecutor. Together, they are calling for “family-targeted terror” and a new term, “kinocide”—the intentional destruction of families—to be recognized as crimes under international law.

“International law was not written for this new reality,” Elkayam-Levy noted. “If it does not evolve, these crimes will become a blueprint for future wars.”

Israeli-Amarant said that, before legal action, recognition is essential for the victims.

When I represented survivors of sexual violence, they always told me the same thing: ‘I cannot continue my life without recognition that it happened.’ Recognition is the first step — then accountability, then compensation.

During their stay in Brussels, the two jurists met with European and Belgian parliamentarians, diplomats, and civil society representatives. They also attended a memorial ceremony for the victims of October 7, where they shared testimonies of survivors and relatives.

“We came to Brussels to share our findings and to warn of the risk of amplification of this kind of terror through social media,” Elkayam-Levy said. “These crimes are not only Israeli tragedies — they are a warning to all modern societies.”

Israeli-Amarant added a final message: “If we want a better world, we will not achieve it with political correctness, but with moral clarity.”

As the Commission prepares to present its work at an international citizens’ tribunal in Denmark this December, both women insist their task is far from over. “We are not only documenting for the present,” said Dr. Elkayam-Levy, “but for history—to make sure that what happened on October 7 will never be denied.”

Javier Villamor is a Spanish journalist and analyst. Based in Brussels, he covers NATO and EU affairs at europeanconservative.com.  This article was originally published by The European Conservative.