A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION, Condemning rape as a tactic of war.

WHEREAS, international law has prohibited rape and other forms of sexual violence against women during armed conflict for over a century; and

WHEREAS, the four Geneva Conventions and their two additional protocols implicitly and explicitly condemn rape as well as other forms of sexual violence; and

WHEREAS, rape and other forms of sexual violence are considered grave breaches of the Geneva Convention and are war crimes; and

WHEREAS, Article 27 of the Fourth Geneva Convention states that women shall be especially protected against any attack on their honor, in particular against rape, enforced prostitution, or any form of indecent assault; and

WHEREAS, the International Committee of the Red Cross stresses that rape and other forms of sexual violence are considered to be grave breaches; and

WHEREAS, Hamas has committed many atrocities since its attack on October 7, 2023, including rape and sexual violence; and

WHEREAS, first responders in Israel told reporters the October 7th attack was overwhelmingly gruesome and many female victims were found undressed and mutilated; and

WHEREAS, there were instances of girls with broken pelvises or broken legs due to Hamas' sexual violence; and

WHEREAS, Hamas has held an estimated one hundred thirty-six hostages, including American citizens, for over one hundred days and are reluctant to release hostages due to the horrendous abuse that could be reported; and

WHEREAS, the Israel Defense Forces released a statement saying that it remains committed to returning all Israeli hostages and dismantling Hamas; and

WHEREAS, the details of Hamas' attack on Israel are so horrible, they cannot be further detailed; and

WHEREAS, President Joe Biden has called on all people, governments, international organizations, civil society, and businesses, to forcefully condemn the sexual violence of Hamas terrorists without equivocation; and

WHEREAS, the United States ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, asked where the universal condemnation was and said that any gender-based violence should not be sidelined:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the House of Representatives of the Ninety-Ninth Legislature of the State of South Dakota, the Senate concurring therein, that the Legislature condemns the use of rape as a tactic of war.