Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid has sharply criticized government ministers, saying the country is "in existential danger as long as they are in power," after ministers and lawmakers stormed a prison in solidarity with soldiers who sexually assaulted a Palestinian prisoner from Gaza.

Earlier on Monday, Israelis, including ministers and Knesset members, demonstrated in solidarity with soldiers accused of torturing a Palestinian prisoner from Gaza in Sde Teiman prison in southern Israel.

The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation revealed that 10 soldiers severely beat a prisoner from Gaza, whose name was not mentioned, and he was taken to the hospital with serious injuries, even to his anus, which necessitated the opening of an investigation by the military police.

In recent months, there have been many reports denouncing the attacks on Palestinian prisoners from the Gaza Strip in Sde Teiman prison, and the Israeli authorities usually claim to be investigating the matter without tangible results.

"The storming of Sde Teiman is a despicable and dangerous crime by the Knesset members who are weakening and dismantling the IDF, weakening and dismantling the State of Israel, and destroying the foundations of our strength from within," Lapid said on the X platform.

Referring to right-wing ministers and lawmakers, Lapid added: “The politicians who abandoned the kidnapped (Israeli prisoners in Gaza), abandoned security, and destroyed Israeli society, are now destroying the chain of command and sanctifying criminality and crime.”

He continued: "The country is in existential danger if these people do not leave power and our lives."

Israeli ministers, MPs and right-wing activists stormed the Sde Teiman base and prison after the military police arrived at the prison to investigate 10 soldiers who had sexually abused a Palestinian prisoner from Gaza and seriously injured him. However, the soldiers refused to investigate and exchanged insults with the police before they ordered their arrest.

Statements were issued by ministers and MPs attacking the military police before ministers, MPs and al-Qaeda activists stormed in to protest the investigation of the soldiers.

The leader of the opposition "State Camp" party, Benny Gantz, did not condemn the abuse of the prisoner, but he protested the storming of the base.

"What we are seeing before our eyes now is not an attempt by politicians to protect IDF soldiers, but an attempt to create a cheap political trick at the expense of our dear soldiers. Prime Minister, stop the event," he said on the X platform.

"We face enormous challenges from our enemies, and we must direct our attention and resources to confronting them, not to internal division and toxic rhetoric," he added.

In turn, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said in a statement: "The Prime Minister calls for immediate calm in Sde Teiman, and strongly condemns the storming of an IDF base."

The Israeli Supreme Court is considering a petition submitted by Israeli human rights organizations to close the Sde Teiman prison after reports of widespread violations against Palestinian detainees there.

Since it began 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.

Over the past months, the army has released dozens of Palestinian detainees from Gaza in separate batches, most of whom suffered from deteriorating health conditions and bore signs of torture on their bodies.