Israeli army chief approves return of soldiers accused of sexually abusing Palestinian detainee to service

Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir approved the return to service of soldiers accused of sexually abusing a Palestinian detainee at the notorious Sde Teiman military base in southern Israel, the newspaper Haaretz reported Thursday.

The daily said Zamir allowed members of Unit 100, accused of abusing a detainee from the Gaza Strip at the facility, to resume reserve duty after charges against them were dropped.

Haaretz said the decision came “though the army has not yet conducted a command investigation” into the incident.

“The investigation does not prevent the soldiers from serving in the reserves, and a command inquiry will be completed as soon as possible,” the paper cited the military as saying.

In July 2024, soldiers at the detention facility tortured and sexually assaulted a Palestinian detainee, leaving him with serious injuries, including rectal damage.

In March, the military prosecutor dropped charges against five soldiers in the case, drawing widespread criticism from human rights groups.

The head of the military defense counsel, Itai Ofir, said at the time that the charges were dismissed due to “complexities in the evidentiary structure” and “difficulties” arising from the detainee’s release to the Gaza Strip.

According to the indictment, the soldiers beat the detainee, dragged him on the ground, stepped on his body, electrocuted him, and one soldier stabbed him in the buttocks, resulting in broken ribs and a punctured lung.

More than 9,600 Palestinians are held in Israeli prisons, including women and children, where they face torture, starvation, and medical neglect, leading to the deaths of dozens, according to Palestinian and Israeli rights groups.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio in Istanbul