Israel has been accused of war crimes and faced a massive uproar after local media published a leaked video showing Israeli soldiers sexually abusing a Palestinian detainee from Gaza in the notorious Sde Teiman detention camp.
The surveillance camera footage aired by Israeli Channel 12, shows a group of Israeli reservist soldiers picking a detainee out of more than 30 others, who are all laid on the ground blindfolded. The detainee is then taken to a corner.
"It is clear that they know about the surveillance cameras, and try to hide their act with shields," the report said. "The video contains documentation of felony by the reservists: The act of sodomy in these circumstances."
The report added that the detainee was bleeding and was taken to hospital after several hours, where his condition was described as "complex."
"The injury was caused by the insertion of an object," the channel said, quoting a medical report.
Earlier on July 29, Israel arrested nine soldiers for the gang-rape. Israeli military prosecution claims it is still investigating the incident, but has not filed any charges against the accused.
Israeli right-wing protesters, including politicians, broke into two military bases in southern and central Israel following the arrests.
In recent months, numerous reports have emerged of mass abuse of Palestinian prisoners from Gaza at the Sde Teiman prison in the Negev desert, southern Israel.
The head of the U.N. Palestinian refugees agency (UNRWA) condemned the act Wednesday saying that accountability must be ensured for violations against Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons.
"Humanity at its worst," UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said on X, noting that the agency drew attention to "inhumane practices" in Israeli detention centers in April.
Recalling the U.N. human rights office's recent report on such practices as well as a report by the Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories (B'tselem), Lazzarini said: "A systematic and deliberate policy of dehumanization and torture against the Palestinian people is described. It's very hard to read it."
"No one seems to be spared: no one is safe even in Israel," he said. "Those responsible must be held accountable. The survivors must have justice."
The U.S. also weighed in on the documented abuse saying Israel should fully investigate the sexual abuse allegations, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said Wednesday, calling for "zero tolerance" for the perpetrators.
Asked about a video, Miller said U.S. officials had reviewed the video.
"We have seen the video and reports of sexual abuse of detainees are horrific. They ought to be investigated fully by the government of Israel, by the IDF," Miller said, referring to the Israel Defense Forces.
"There ought to be zero tolerance for sexual abuse, rape of any detainee, period. ... If there are detainees who have been sexually assaulted or raped, the government of Israel, the IDF need to fully investigate those actions and hold anyone responsible accountable to the full extent of the law."
The White House also called the reports of rape, torture and abuse of Palestinian prisoners "deeply concerning."
"It is essential that the rule of law and due process prevail," said White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre.
A spokesperson for Israel's embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday.
Amnesty International, meanwhile, urged Israel to allow Red Cross to visit Palestinian detainees amid reports of widespread torture and rape in the Israeli prisons.
"Since 7 October 2023, Israel's arbitrary arrests and horrifying cases of torture against all Palestinians continue to spike, along with the use of administrative detention of Palestinians across the occupied West Bank." said Amnesty said on X, in reference to the B'Tselem report on widespread abuse, torture, sexual assault and inhuman treatment of around 9,500 Palestinians in Israeli custody.
Against this backdrop, it urged Israel to allow the International Committee of the Red Cross to conduct urgent visits to prisons and detention facilities and to monitor the conditions of Palestinian detainees.
"All Palestinians arbitrarily detained must be immediately released," it added.
