An Israeli human rights group warned the decision would give soldiers a “license to rape” Palestinian detainees.
Israel’s military has dropped charges against soldiers accused of sexually abusing a Palestinian prisoner at a wartime detention facility at the Sde Teiman base. The high-profile case has deeply divided Israeli society.
The incident is related to events at a military base in southern Israel in July 2024, where five reservists were initially investigated for rape and later indicted. “aggravated abuse” After the leak, a video surfaced showing a blindfolded Palestinian detainee being assaulted.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Thursday that prosecutors withdrew the indictment after the video footage was leaked to the media, citing insufficient evidence to warrant a conviction and procedural concerns. The military said the alleged victim had been returned to Gaza, creating uncertainty over whether he would be able to testify at the trial.
In the video, soldiers are seen laying the detainee face down and surrounding him with riot shields in an attempt to cover up their actions.
A soldier stabbed the detainee near the rectum with a sharp object, the indictment said. The detainee was later taken to hospital in critical condition with broken ribs and blunt force trauma to the chest and abdomen. He underwent surgery before returning to the facility days later.
The scandal contributed to the resignation of the IDF’s former military advocate general, Major General Yifat Tomar-Yerushalmi, who admitted authorizing the release of the footage. “To Counter False Propaganda.”
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The case sparked a national debate. Accused reservists have publicly defended their actions, vowing that they were being unfairly prosecuted. “The fight for justice.”
On Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed the decision “Israel must pursue its enemies, not its valiant fighters.” Defense Minister Israel Katz also said the same “Justice has been done.”
However, human rights groups have strongly criticized the decision. The Public Committee Against Torture in Israel accused the IDF of whitewashing the scandal “Israel’s Military Advocate General Licenses Its Soldiers To Rape … As Long As The Victim Is Palestinian.”
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The Sde Teiman base, which was partially converted into a detention camp for Palestinians suspected of militant activity during the Gaza war, has faced widespread allegations of torture and abuse.
