United Nations leader Antonio Guterres issues warning to Israel concerning sexual misconduct by their military forces
The United Nations continues to monitor and report on human rights violations concerning Palestinians, including displacement, violence, and blockade effects. However, there is no detailed recent update or confirmed public statement on a specific UN investigation into sexual violence by Israeli forces in prisons or military bases visible in the latest available UN documents from mid-2025.
Last year, the Israeli army acknowledged the detention of nine soldiers over the alleged sexual abuse of a Palestinian detainee at the Sde Teiman prison. Yet, as of now, no new information about the status of this investigation has been made public. Similarly, there has been no new information about the Israeli military or security forces' violations against Palestinians in prisons, a detention center, or a military base.
UN human rights bodies have condemned various human rights violations and called attention to crimes against humanity, but have not explicitly updated on sexual violence allegations or detailed the progress of investigations into these specific claims in prisons or military bases in the most recent monthly bulletins or press releases available as of mid-2025.
For precise and updated information, further inquiry with UN bodies such as the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) or the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) may be necessary.
Meanwhile, the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory documented violations and accused Israeli forces of rape and sexual violence against Palestinian detainees. Conversely, Hamas was listed in the UN report as a group "credibly suspected of committing or being responsible for patterns of rape or other forms of sexual violence" in armed conflict.
In response to the UN's concerns about Israel, Mr. Danon, Israel's Ambassador to the UN, dismissed the accusations as baseless and called for the UN to focus on the alleged war crimes and sexual violence of Hamas and the release of all hostages.
The UN Chief, Antonio Guterres, has placed Israel on notice for possible inclusion in the UN's blacklist of countries and groups suspected of committing sexual violence in armed conflict. He is gravely concerned about reports of violations against Palestinians by the Israeli military and security forces in several prisons, a detention center, and a military base.
The inclusion of Hamas in the UN report comes after recently published reports documenting alleged sexual violence during the October 7, 2023 attack and against hostages in captivity. A senior Hamas official, Basem Naim, rejected the allegations of sexual violence against the group.
A video was published in Israeli media, appearing to show soldiers sexually assaulting a male prisoner, and the US State Department described it as "horrific". However, Israel has denied access to UN monitors, making it difficult for a definitive determination about the patterns, trends, and use of sexual violence by Israeli forces.
The UN Chief, Antonio Guterres, issued a similar warning to Russia about credible information of violations by Russian armed and security forces and affiliated armed groups against Ukrainian prisoners of war.
- Despite the UN's continuous monitoring of human rights violations in Palestine, there is no recent update on a specific investigation into sexual violence by Israeli forces in prisons or military bases.
- Last year, the Israeli army acknowledged an investigation into sexual abuse allegations, but no new information about its status has been made public.
- UN human rights bodies have condemned various human rights violations, but have not explicitly updated on sexual violence allegations or the progress of investigations into these claims.
- The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory has documented violations and accused Israeli forces of rape and sexual violence against Palestinian detainees.
- Conversely, Hamas has been listed as a group suspected of committing or being responsible for patterns of rape or other forms of sexual violence.
- Meanwhile, the UN Chief has placed Israel on notice for possible inclusion in the UN's blacklist due to concerns about reports of violations against Palestinians by the Israeli military and security forces.
