US official: Hamas not freeing women hostages so they won’t tell ‘what happened to them’

US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller suggests that Hamas is holding onto a number of female Israeli hostages because it does not want them to testify about what they experienced in captivity.

“The fact that they continue to hold women hostages, the fact that they continue to hold children hostages, just the fact that it seems one of the reasons they don’t want to turn women over they’ve been holding hostage, and the reason this pause fell apart, is they don’t want those women to be able to talk about what happened to them during their time in custody,” says Miller, in response to a question from a reporter about growing evidence of Hamas rape and sexual abuse on October 7.

“There is very little that I would put beyond Hamas when it comes to its treatment of civilians, and particularly its treatment of women,” he adds.

State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller suggests “one of the reasons [Hamas doesn’t] want to turn women over that they’ve been holding hostage — and the reason this pause fell apart — is they don’t want those women to talk about what happened to them.” pic.twitter.com/GOlM3PHgVR

— The Recount (@therecount) December 4, 2023

A young Israeli woman seen on October 7 in Gaza being taken captive while the seat of her sweatpants was covered in blood remains a hostage in Gaza.