Biden decries reported sexual assaults by Hamas and says acts must be forcefully condemned

US President Joe Biden on Tuesday decried reported sexual assaults committed by Hamas during its attack on Israel, calling on "all of us" to condemn the acts.

Speaking at a fundraiser in Boston, Biden accused Hamas of refusing to release additional women hostages and ending the pause in fighting that the US helped broker.

"Hamas terrorists inflicted as much pain and suffering in women and girls as possible," Biden said at the fundraising event, his first of three on Tuesday in Massachusetts.

"The world can't just look away at what's going on. It's on all of us ... to forcibly condemn the sexual violence of Hamas terrorists without equivocation," Biden said, according to pool reporters in the room.

"Let me be crystal clear: Hamas' refusal to release the remaining young women is what broke this deal and end the pause in the fighting. Everyone still being held hostage by Hamas need to be returned to their families immediately. We're not going to stop," he said.

More context: Hamas has denied that its militants committed rape during the October 7 attack. The group's statement also rejected that Hamas targeted festival-goers at the Nova music festival. At least 260 bodies were recovered from the festival site, according to Israeli rescue service ZAKA.

Israeli police are investigating whether rape occurred during the attack, using forensic evidence, video and witness testimony, CNN first reported in November. Israel’s police acknowledge their investigation may take months.