A leaked surveillance video published in several Israeli media outlets appears to show IDF soldiers sexually assaulting a Palestinian prisoner. The man was subsequently hospitalized with life-threatening injuries, including to his rectum.
The assault reportedly took place at the Sde Teiman base in the Negev desert, and a group of prisoners can be seen lying on the ground while several soldiers are seen taking one of the prisoners to a corner of the facility to apparently assault him, while other Israeli soldiers use shields to block the view. Notably, the IDF also confirms that several soldiers are under investigation for “suspected substantial abuse” of a Palestinian prisoner, and that the military police are formally investigating the allegations.
According to Physicians for Human Rights Israel (PHRI), the victim – a man in his 30s – was then taken to an Israeli public hospital with life-threatening injuries, including severe injuries to his upper body and rectum, according to CNN.
They also explain that they had expressed concern about reports of similar abuses in the past – but that this incident was publicized precisely because the victim was taken to a regular hospital, far from the detention camp.
Recently, the UN Human Rights Office also raised the alarm that Palestinian prisoners from Gaza and the West Bank are frequently subjected to torture, beatings and sexual abuse – and that at least 53 of them have died in captivity since October 7.
“Hugely damaged Israel internationally”
Israeli Finance Minister and Religious Zionist Party leader Bezalel Smotrich, however, is more upset that the abuses have come to public attention and is calling for an “immediate criminal investigation” of the whistleblower, saying the leak has “hugely damaged Israel internationally”.
In May, it was reported that former employees of the camp had warned of systematic mistreatment of detainees, who were left with festering wounds, not allowed to speak to each other, forced to wear diapers, tied to their beds and forced to eat with straws.
The US State Department calls the allegations of sexual abuse of prisoners “horrific” – but says Israel should investigate them on its own, without outside interference.
– There ough to be zero tolerance for all sexual abuse, rape, of any detainee, period, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said during a press briefing.
