‘Sexual abuse’ probe fuels tension between Israeli military and hard-liners

An Israeli military court has opened an initial hearing for nine soldiers detained over what a defence lawyer said were allegations of sexual abuse of a Palestinian at a shadowy facility where Israel has held prisoners from Gaza during the war.

The investigation has stoked tensions between the military command and hard-line nationalists in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government who advocate an even harsher hand in Israel’s conduct of the 10-month-old war in Gaza.

The soldiers’ detention on Monday triggered angry protests by supporters demanding their release, including members of parliament and at least two government ministers.

A video showed them scuffling with troops before being forced out.

Defence lawyer Nati Rom, who is representing three of the soldiers, said they were innocent and described the alleged abuse they are accused of committing as “acts of sodomy”.

The military has given no details on the investigation, saying only it was looking into allegations of “substantial abuse”.

An investigation by The Associated Press and reports by rights groups have exposed abysmal conditions and abuses at Sde Teiman, the military base where most of the thousands detained in Gaza during the war have been held.

In a report issued in April, the main UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, said Palestinians released from detention and sent back to Gaza reported instances of prisoners being forced to strip naked, of photos taken of them naked and of beatings on the genitals.

One detainee said he was forced to sit on an electrical probe that burned his anus.

They also reported beatings with iron bars, gun butts and boots, UNRWA said, adding that many of the returned prisoners had to be hospitalised due to injuries or illness.

Beyond the alleged abuse now being investigated, Israeli authorities have generally denied abuses in detention facilities for Palestinians.

The military court hearing on Tuesday afternoon at the Beit Lid base in central Israel was expected to rule on whether to extend the soldiers’ detention.

By late Tuesday, the court did not appear to have reached a decision.

Mr Rom said the incident under investigation took place at Sde Teiman a month ago.

He said the detainee was a Hamas militant.

His account of the incident or the detainee’s identity could not be independently confirmed.

Mr Rom works for Honenu, a nationalist legal group that specialises in defending Israeli soldiers and civilians facing prosecution over incidents of violence with Palestinians.

Israel has detained thousands of Palestinians since the October 7 Hamas attack that sparked the war in Gaza, according to official figures, though hundreds were released after the military determined they were not affiliated with Hamas.

Israeli human rights groups say the majority of detainees from Gaza have at some point passed through Sde Teiman.

Israel has long been accused of failing to hold its soldiers accountable for crimes committed against Palestinians.

The allegations have intensified during the war in Gaza.

Israel says its forces act within military and international law and says it independently investigates any alleged abuses.