The United Nations has called for accountability in the case of video footage of the sexual assault of a Palestinian prisoner by Israeli soldiers in the notorious Sde Teiman detention center.
This was stated by Farhan Haq, the spokesman for the Secretary-General, during a press conference in New York, where he referred to the inhumane practices to which Palestinians are subjected in Israeli prisons.
Haq explained that the United Nations has published reports to express its concern about the situation of Palestinian detainees, adding that their human rights colleagues in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories will continue to follow up on these allegations, which must be investigated thoroughly and accountability ensured.
Israeli media circulated a leaked video documenting the incident of Israeli soldiers sexually assaulting a Palestinian prisoner from Gaza in Sde Teiman, according to what was reported by Israeli Channel 12 yesterday, Wednesday.
On July 29, the case caused a huge uproar in Israel after members of the military prosecution arrived at the prison to investigate 9 soldiers who had sexually assaulted this prisoner. Five of them were later released.
The Israeli military prosecution is said to be still investigating the suspected soldiers, but has not yet filed an indictment.
soldiers release
For her part, Israeli Minister of Settlement and National Missions, Orit Struck, rejected the arrest of soldiers accused of sexual assault, describing it as a criminal act.
The Minister stressed that the conduct of the Military Prosecutor's Office in this case causes strategic damage to Israel, calling for an immediate investigation and punishment of those responsible for leaking the investigation materials.
This came in a letter she sent to the government secretary, calling for an urgent discussion at the next government meeting.
The government cannot ignore this behaviour, in which the body under its control is acting illegally, Struck added.
Israeli right-wingers, including ministers and MPs, called for the release of the soldiers, describing them as heroes.
Palestinian, Israeli and international human rights reports indicated that conditions in Israeli prisons have deteriorated since October 7, 2023, specifically in the Sde Teiman camp, where torture and sexual assault of detainees from Gaza took place, leading to the deaths of dozens of them.
Five Israeli human rights organizations are demanding – in a petition submitted to the Supreme Court last May – the immediate and final closure of Sde Teiman Prison.
Since the start of its ground operation in Gaza on October 27, the Israeli army has arrested thousands of Palestinian civilians, including women, children, health workers and civil defense personnel.
During the past months, the occupation army released dozens of Palestinian prisoners from Gaza, who suffered from poor health conditions, the effects of torture and medical neglect.