Prominent members of the Democratic Party, including the daughter of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, have joined the chorus of condemnation aimed at Representative Pramila Jayapal over her comments about Hamas' rapes of Israeli women. Jayapal faced backlash after calling for a "balanced" approach to criticism of the terrorist group's use of rape as a weapon of war.

Christine Pelosi, daughter of Nancy Pelosi, took to Twitter to express her disapproval of Jayapal's remarks, stating, "Do not minimize, excuse, 'balance' or 'both sides' sexual assault - that is victim-blaming we have spent decades trying to undo in the laws, the courts and the hearts and minds of the people." Her tweet appeared to be a direct criticism of Jayapal.

Democratic attorney Dave Aronberg also criticized Jayapal, tweeting, "When you tie yourself into knots to defend rapists, you've lost your moral authority #RapeIsNotResistance." CNN anchor Bianna Golodryga chimed in, highlighting the difference between individual acts of rape during war and "preconceived and premeditated" rapes carried out as part of Hamas' plan.

Jayapal's controversial comments came during an appearance on CNN's State of the Union with Dana Bash. Bash questioned Jayapal about Hamas' brutal use of sexual violence against Israeli women during the October 7 massacre, but Jayapal pivoted to highlighting the impact of war on Palestinians and defending Israel as a democracy.

Progressive women's rights organizations and advocates have faced scrutiny for failing to unequivocally condemn Hamas' use of rape as a weapon of war. Fox News' Democratic strategist Jessica Tarlov strongly criticized Jayapal, and one-time presidential candidate Joe Walsh expressed his disbelief that anyone would hesitate to condemn such heinous acts.

Jayapal's communications team later posted a clip from the interview on her official Twitter account, emphasizing her view that "Hamas is a terrorist organization that needs to be taken out." However, her inability to address the issue directly and focus on the violence perpetrated by Hamas drew further criticism.

In October, Jayapal voted "present" on a House Resolution supporting Israel in the wake of the Hamas attacks, and she has previously faced backlash for referring to the Israeli government as "racist." Bash confronted Jayapal about her inability to stay on topic during the interview, specifically addressing the issue of Hamas' sexual crimes.

The lack of a strong condemnation from progressive women's rights groups globally has raised questions and prompted UN Secretary-General António Guterres to announce an investigation into Hamas' use of sexual violence against Israeli women. Guterres stated, "There are numerous accounts of sexual violence during the abhorrent acts of terror by Hamas on October 7 that must be vigorously investigated and prosecuted. Gender-based violence must be condemned. Anytime. Anywhere."

As criticism mounts against Jayapal, her remarks have ignited a fierce debate about the necessity of unequivocally condemning the use of rape as a weapon of war, regardless of political affiliations or geopolitical considerations. The discussion underscores the importance of addressing and combating sexual violence in conflict zones, while also emphasizing the need for accountability and justice for the victims.