An investigation involving Israeli soldiers being detained for allegations of sexual abuse against a Palestinian detainee sparked protests on Monday.
According to the Associated Press (AP), nine soldiers were scheduled to appear before a military court at the Beit Lid base in central Israel on Tuesday for allegations of sexual abuse against a Palestinian detainee at Sde Teiman, a facility known for its poor conditions where many Gaza prisoners have been held during the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. The military court hearing is expected to rule on whether to extend detention for the nine soldiers allegedly involved in the incident.
However, since the detention of the soldiers, protests broke out from supporters of the soldiers, including members of Israel’s parliament and government ministers arguing against the investigation and demanding harsher treatment of prisoners.
In addition, several hundred protesters broke into Sde Teiman and then later into the military base where the soldiers were being held.
Following the protests, the AP reported Defense Minister Yoav Gallant condemned the protester break-ins and demanded an investigation into whether National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir “prevented or delayed the police response” to the riots in a letter to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
However, Ben-Gvir, whose ministry is in charge of police, said in a letter to Netanyahu that the allegations of delay were baseless, the AP reported.
The protests over the soldiers’ detention come more than nine months into Israel’s war against Hamas, which began after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, killing 1,200 people and taking approximately 250 people hostage, per the Israeli government. About 120 remain held and around a third are believed to be dead, according to Israeli authorities.
Israel subsequently launched its heaviest-ever airstrikes in Gaza. More than 39,000 Palestinians have been killed and thousands detained, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, per the AP. The rising death toll has led to international calls for a ceasefire.
Although details of the allegations remain unclear, the AP reported Nati Rom, a defense lawyer who is representing three of the soldiers, said the incident under investigation took place at Sde Teiman a month ago. Rom said the detainee attacked officers during a search, resulting in the soldiers using “force” but not doing “anything sexual.” Rom added that the detainee was a high-ranking Hamas militant, and he described the alleged abuse the soldiers are accused of committing as “acts of sodomy.”
Rom works for Honenu, a nationalist legal group that specializes in defending Israeli soldiers and civilians facing prosecution over incidents of violence with Palestinians.
According to the AP, Rom’s account of the incident or the detainee’s identity could not be independently confirmed and that the military has given no details on the investigation but did characterize the allegations as “substantial abuse.”
The allegations against the soldiers follow an April report by the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) which said Palestinians released from detention and sent back to Gaza have reported instances of prisoners being beaten and forced to strip naked.
Newsweek reached out to UNRWA via email on Tuesday for comment.
Israeli authorities have denied abuses in detention facilities for Palestinians. According to the AP, Israel says it has acted within military and international law, saying that it independently investigates any alleged abuses.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
