Media

Former Meta official releases documentary on Oct. 7 attack

by Tara Suter - 04/26/24 7:43 PM ET

FILE – Business executive Sheryl Sandberg attends the 2022 Women’s Media Awards at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Thursday, Nov. 17, 2022, in New York. Ten years after publishing her book “Lean In,” Sheryl Sandberg’s foundation is launching a girls leadership program as a response to stubborn gender inequities. (Photo by Andy Kropa/Invision/AP, File)

Former Meta executive Sheryl Sandberg’s new movie on sexual violence that occurred during Palestinian militant group Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel was released Friday, according to the film’s account on the social platform X.

“After October 7th, the reports were coming out about, not just mass murder, but mass sexual violence, and the usual people who should be speaking out were either ignoring it or denying it,” Sandberg said in an interview with Fox News’ Dana Perino Friday when asked about her motivation behind her participation in the movie, “Screams Before Silence,” in a clip highlighted by Mediaite.

“And, that’s not okay. And this documentary gives anyone a chance to hear directly from first responders,” Sandberg continued.

On an “about” section for the movie’s website, it states that “during the October 7 attacks on Israeli towns and at the Nova Music Festival, women and girls were raped, assaulted, and mutilated.”

“Released hostages have revealed that Israeli captives in Gaza have also been sexually assaulted,” the section reads.

“Despite the indisputable evidence, these atrocities have received little scrutiny from human rights groups and international organizations,” the section continues. “Many leading figures in politics, academia, and media have attempted to minimize or even deny that they occurred. In Screams Before Silence, a 60-minute, presenter-led documentary film, Sheryl Sandberg, former [chief operating officer] of Meta and founder of LeanIn.org, interviews multiple eyewitnesses, released hostages, first responders, medical and forensic experts, and survivors of the Hamas massacres.”

A United Nations special group focused on sexual violence has found “clear and convincing information” that Hamas committed rape and sexualized torture during its deadly attack on Israel in October of last year.

“Based on the information it gathered, the mission team found clear and convincing information that sexual violence, including rape, sexualized torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment has been committed against hostages and has reasonable grounds to believe that such violence may be ongoing against those still held in captivity,” the U.N. special group said in a press release.