A new investigative report has uncovered shocking details regarding severe violations and sexual violence crimes committed inside Israeli detention centers against Palestinian detainees. The data is based on live testimonies from survivors and former detainees, in addition to documented reports from the United Nations and international and Israeli human rights organizations such as 'B'Tselem'.
The collected testimonies indicate a systematic pattern of physical, psychological, and sexual violence practiced during interrogation and detention processes. Survivors from the Gaza Strip recounted harsh details of being subjected to severe beatings and deliberate humiliation, which in several cases included direct sexual assaults under the supervision of soldiers and with the participation of guard dogs.
Former detainee Mohammed Al-Bakri gave a detailed testimony about being raped on April 10, 2024, coinciding with the Eid al-Fitr holiday. Al-Bakri, who was a government employee, explained that he was subjected to torture, restraint, and forced into humiliating acts before being sexually assaulted by a group of soldiers.
Al-Bakri described the difficult moments he experienced with seven other detainees, where they were stripped of their clothes and blindfolded amidst a barrage of mockery and laughter from the soldiers. He confirmed that the assault operations were documented through photography by Israeli forces and continued for periods ranging from twenty to thirty minutes of continuous abuse.
In a related context, the investigation conveyed the testimony of another detainee, referred to by the pseudonym 'Job', who was subjected to rape by Israeli female soldiers using artificial tools. 'Job' reported that the soldiers were clapping and filming the scene with their phones, in an attempt to break his human dignity during his interrogation about the events of October 7.
These individual testimonies intersect with broader reports issued by international bodies such as 'Human Rights Watch' and Amnesty International, which have warned of widespread ill-treatment. These organizations have considered Israeli practices in detention centers to amount to war crimes and grave violations of international humanitarian law.
The United Nations has listed Israel among the blacklists associated with sexual violence in conflict zones, amid increasing accusations of using gender-based torture. UN experts believe that these practices aim to 'dehumanize' the Palestinian detainee and destroy their psychological ability to continue living.
On the political and legal front within Israel, a state of impunity prevails, as internal investigations have not led to actual convictions against those involved. Despite the previous detention of ten security personnel on suspicion of involvement in assaults at the 'Sde Teiman' camp, political pressure later led to their release.
The 'Sde Teiman' file sparked widespread controversy after video clips showing sexual assaults were leaked, which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described as a 'propaganda attack' against the state. Instead of focusing on prosecuting the perpetrators, the officer suspected of leaking the video to the media was arrested.
Inside the Israeli Knesset, some members have gone so far as to openly legitimize these violations, with Likud party member Hanoch Milwidsky stating that 'everything is permissible' towards detainees. These statements reflect the political environment that provides legal and moral cover for soldiers to commit their crimes without fear of prosecution.
UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese affirmed that the goal of this violence is not merely physical harm, but rather to destroy the morale of the victims. She explained that the use of rape as a torture tool leaves indelible psychological scars and aims to dismantle the social fabric of Palestinians by targeting their dignity.
Experts in international law indicate that distinguishing between individual incidents and a systematic pattern is key to international accountability in criminal courts. The accumulation of testimonies and human rights reports proves that what is happening is not isolated excesses, but rather a practiced policy that enjoys support or acquiescence from the highest leadership levels.
International accountability efforts face significant obstacles in the absence of executive mechanisms that impose sanctions for ongoing Israeli violations. Nevertheless, these investigations and testimonies remain important historical and legal documents that may be used in the future to prosecute those responsible for these crimes before international justice.
The report concludes that the absence of political solutions and legal accountability leaves Palestinian detainees vulnerable to further abuse amidst the ongoing war. The file of violations in Israeli prisons remains open to wide international and human rights repercussions, with increasing demands for an independent and comprehensive international investigation.
Torture, especially rape and other forms of sexual violence, destroys the human mind and its ability to rebuild itself or live its own life.
شارك برأيك
Horrific Testimonies Reveal the Use of Rape and Systematic Torture Against Palestinian Detainees