US creates taskforce to probe Hamas over Oct 7 massacre

The task force will also investigate acts of anti-Semitism by anyone supporting Hamas. A UK report has found the youngest victim of the massacre was a newborn baby only 14 hours old.

One of the scenes after Hamas attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023. Picture: AP

The US Justice Department has announced the creation of a task force to investigate Hamas for its October 7, 2023 attack on Israel as well as potential civil rights violations and acts of anti-Semitism by anyone supporting the militant group.

Agents and prosecutors participating in Joint Task Force October 7, or JTF 10-7, will investigate and look to bring charges against Hamas militants directly responsible for the massacre in southern Israel, the department said.

“The barbaric Hamas terrorists will not win — and there will be consequences,” Attorney-General Pam Bondi said in a statement announcing the task force.

The attack killed around 1200 people, mostly civilians, and Hamas took 251 hostages. It touched off an Israeli counteroffensive that has destroyed vast areas of Gaza, displaced most of the population and killed over 48,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not say how many were combatants.

A just-released British parliamentary report into the atrocity revealed on Tuesday (AEDT) that the youngest victim of the rampage was just 14 hours old.

The study – one of the most comprehensive so far published on the attack – also confirmed that the desecration of corpses had been “widespread”, including the beheading and mutilation of dead bodies which had also been booby-trapped with grenades.

The youngest victim was identified as Naama abu Rashed, who suffered a gunshot wound while still in her mother’s womb when militants attacked the Bedouin couple while they were on their way to hospital to deliver the baby. Naama was born alive but died just 14 hours after doctors performed an emergency delivery.

Lord Roberts, the historian who has presided over the report, said its purpose was to produce a definitive account of the Hamas attacks to “counter pernicious” attempts at denying or minimising the atrocities.

Masked Hamas militants at the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza. Picture: agencies

The report’s main findings – corroborating studies from Israel – included that planning by Hamas had begun in 2018, five years before the massacre; and 7000 militants had taken part in attacks on 55 separate locations in Israel.

The announcement of the task force came as Israel launched its biggest assault on Gaza since the January 19 truce, in strikes which Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed had been ordered because of a lack of progress in ongoing talks to extend the ceasefire.

The White House appeared to condone the attacks, with US National Security Council spokesperson Brian Hughes telling The Times of Israel: “Hamas could have released hostages to extend the ceasefire but instead chose refusal and war.”

President Donald Trump has previously issued what he has called a “last warning” to Hamas to release all remaining hostages held in Gaza.

His administration has targeted universities over a perceived failure to quell anti-Semitism on campus as well as foreigners who participated in pro-Palestinian demonstrations.

The Justice Department announced this month that it was investigating whether Columbia University concealed “illegal aliens” on its campus, and federal immigration agents arrested Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist and Columbia graduate student.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said he revoked Mr Khalil’s permission to be in the US – despite the fact he holds a Green Card – because of his role in pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia, saying they had encouraged “anti-Jewish” sentiment and amounted to support for Hamas.

Mr Khalil’s lawyers have challenged his detention in court.

The Justice Department’s announcement said the task force, made up of prosecutors and FBI officials, will also investigate civil rights violations and potential acts of terrorism by anyone providing support or financing to Hamas.

It did not define what sort of support would be illegal, though federal law makes it a crime to provide material support to designated foreign terrorist organisations such as Hamas.

The Justice Department said FBI agents will be embedded with Israel’s National Bureau for Counter Terror Financing.

With AFP