7 October 2023

144 people interviewed, more than 280 photographs and videos verified

For the report Human Rights Watch interviewed 144 people, including 94 survivors of the attacks. The others were family members of survivors, hostages and victims, first responders who collected human remains, medical experts who examined them, officials from the affected municipalities, journalists who visited the attack sites after they were secured, analysts of Palestinian armed groups, and international investigators.

The researchers also verified more than 280 videos and photographs, 157 posted on social media and news websites and 123 shared directly with HRW. Locations were matched against satellite imagery, and the position of the sun and shadows was used to estimate when the footage was taken.

The armed groups involved were also identified by the headbands the fighters wore and by the posts on their Telegram channels.

In March 2024 HRW sent senior Hamas and Islamic Jihad officials a summary of its findings, with a number of questions. Hamas replied on 14 April with a nine-page letter, which is annexed to the report.