State Department Speculates Hamas May Be Silencing Female Hostages
• Hamas may be holding back female hostages to prevent them from publicly sharing experiences of sexual violence by Hamas.
• A State Department spokesman suggested this but later conceded it was speculation without proof.
• The spokesman was pressed on why he did not explicitly condemn reports of rape by Hamas.
• The spokesman said the department has seen reports but not completed an independent assessment.
• The spokesman said there is little he would "put beyond Hamas" in its poor treatment of civilians and women.