The United States on Wednesday urged Israel to investigate and ensure accountability after a video emerged showing soldiers sexually abusing a Palestinian prisoner.
A leaked surveillance video aired on Israel’s Channel 12 shows soldiers picking up a prisoner at the Sde Teiman base, where Israel holds Palestinians detained during the Gaza war.
The Israeli soldiers appear to be performing sexual acts on the prisoner from behind shields, with at least one soldier having his hands on his groin.
“We have seen the videos, and the reports of sexual abuse of detainees are horrific,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters.
Released Palestinian prisoners have alleged torture, rape and other ill treatment in custody, allegations denied by Israeli authorities.
This week, UN experts warned about Israel’s “increasing use of torture” against Palestinian prisoners since the war in Gaza began and called for efforts to prevent crimes against humanity.
Miller said, “In all cases prisoners’ human rights must be respected, and when alleged violations occur, the Israeli government must take steps to investigate those accused of committing abuses and, if appropriate, hold them accountable.”
Contacted by AFP, an Israeli military spokesman said the army was investigating the reports.
Miller said the Israeli military investigation “must move swiftly.”
The military said last month it was launching an investigation into “suspected abuse” of a detainee at Sede Teiman based on information provided by international media, UN agencies and human rights groups.
Nine soldiers were detained for questioning, following which right-wing Israeli activists, some of them close to the government, flocked to Sede Teiman to show support for the accused, with several managing to gain entry.
The United States has been a key ally of Israel in the war, but has repeatedly expressed concern over the impact on civilians.
Hamas carried out its deadliest attack ever on Israel on October 7, killing 1,198 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP count based on official Israeli figures.
Hamas has also taken 251 people prisoner, 111 of whom are still held in Gaza, 39 of whom the military says are dead.
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, 39,677 people have been killed in Gaza in Israeli retaliation, although the ministry did not give details of the deaths of civilians and militants.
The campaign has left much of the Palestinian territory reduced to rubble, including residential areas, schools and other vital infrastructure.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
