Five IDF soldiers in the reserves were indicted on Thursday for aggravated abuse and severe bodily harm against a Palestinian security detainee at the Sde Teiman detention camp. Two of the accused are reserve officers, holding the ranks of lieutenant colonel and captain, while the remaining three are of lower ranks. The lieutenant colonel served as a team commander in “Force 100.” Initially, there were suspicions of sexual offenses by those involved, but the indictment makes no mention of such allegations.
According to the indictment, the accused subjected the detainee to extreme violence, including stabbing him in the buttocks with a sharp object that penetrated near his rectum. The indictment further states that the abuse resulted in severe injuries, including fractured ribs, a punctured lung, and internal rectal tears.
The incident occurred on July 5, 2024, while the reservists were serving at the detention facility. They had been instructed to search the detainee, who was handcuffed, shackled, and blindfolded with a cloth when they led him to the search area.
“The investigation gathered extensive evidence, including detailed medical documentation and authentic security camera footage from the detention facility," the military said in a statement. "IDF soldiers and commanders operate in accordance with the law and the army’s values, and any exceptional incidents or suspicions of criminal behavior are addressed accordingly.”
The indictment says two reservists forced the detainee against a wall, lifted his cuffed hands upward, and pressed them against the surface while the others stood nearby. Moments later, the detainee was seen on the floor, writhing in pain, with the accused standing around him, occasionally bending over him. Over the course of approximately 15 minutes, the reservists allegedly kicked the detainee, stomped on him, stood on his body, shoved him, including with a baton, dragged him across the floor, and used a Taser on him—including on his head.
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Additionally, the indictment states that during the attack, the detainee’s blindfold fell off, after which one of the accused stabbed him in the buttocks with a sharp object, causing a rectal tear. Another reservist then ordered the detainee to put a baton in his mouth. The abuse continued throughout and after this assault.
According to the indictment, “Throughout the ordeal, the detainee cried out in pain.” It further states that two of the reservists led the detainee to a mattress in the detention area, where one of them pulled his shirt down over his pants to cover his buttocks. Soon after, the detainee began bleeding from his wounds. About an hour later, he reported difficulty breathing and a headache. Several hours after the attack, detention facility staff noticed significant bleeding on his pants, prompting medics to rush him to the on-site clinic. A doctor then ordered his immediate transfer to a hospital.
The military prosecution said that the detainee suffered severe bodily harm, including fractures in seven ribs, a punctured left lung, a rectal tear, and multiple injuries to his body and face. Due to the stabbing, he required emergency surgery, which involved a colostomy (diverting the colon to an external stoma) and the insertion of a chest drain. He also received blood transfusions and was hospitalized under extended medical supervision. After about three and a half months, he underwent another procedure to reverse the colostomy.
Defense Attorneys: "The Blood Libel Has Collapsed"
“The blood libel against these soldiers—accusing them of gang rape and sodomy—has completely collapsed," Defense attorneys, Avi Amiram and Lior Porat, from the Military Defense Counsel, said. "This slander, along with malicious leaks and a falsified, ‘doctored’ video, caused immense damage to our client, to all IDF soldiers, and to Israel’s security. Not to mention, it recklessly harmed our hostages held by Hamas terrorists.”
Regarding the remaining charges of aggravated abuse and severe bodily harm, they said, “During the pretrial hearing, we presented compelling arguments refuting these allegations, and we have no doubt that once the facts emerge in court, these charges, too, will be dismissed. The indictment was rushed through just a day after we requested the military prosecution to delay proceedings until the source of the severe leaks was investigated—leaks that could have significantly influenced the investigation and those making decisions in the case.”
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Protesters outside the Sde Teiman detention camp following the Military Police raid last year
(Photo: Herzel Yosef)
Attorneys Adi Keidar, Moshe Polsky, and Nati Rom, who represent two of the accused on behalf of the Honenu legal organization, said the indictment marks another disgraceful low for the military prosecution and is a stain on Israel’s judicial system. "Despite our thorough pretrial hearing proving there was no basis for the outrageous sexual allegations initially made against the defendants, and despite the stark difference between the indictment’s details and the initial accusations of rape and extreme violence that tarnished their reputations, we still believe this indictment should never have been filed. A proper legal system would have rejected this case outright, as the investigation was biased, tainted by leaks, and involved coercing a vile terrorist into filing a complaint against our heroic soldiers.”
Attorney Efraim Damari, who represents another defendant called for an independent commission to ivestigate the legal process. “This is not a case of ‘much ado about nothing’—it’s far worse. The way this indictment was filed requires an immediate independent investigative commission, today—not tomorrow," he said.
"This commission must examine all those involved in this disgraceful legal process, from the attorney general and state prosecutor to the military advocate general and anyone else connected to this corrupt investigation. Who will compensate Israel, the IDF, and our brave soldiers for this irreparable damage? Who will repair the harm done to national security by the reckless publication of this case as a so-called ‘rape by our heroic soldiers’?”
Protests and Political Fallout
The arrest of the reservists sparked widespread outrage, leading dozens of protesters—including coalition Knesset members—to storm a military base in southern Israel. Later that day, another unprecedented breach occurred when a large group of demonstrators forced their way into the military court complex in Beit Lid.
Outgoing-IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi swiftly condemned the intrusion into the Shde Teiman base and the resulting chaos, calling it “a severe and illegal act.” He stated: “This behavior is entirely unacceptable. We are in a time of war, and such actions endanger national security. I fully support the military prosecution and investigative authorities in thoroughly examining every incident that comes to their attention, regardless of rank or role. These investigations safeguard our soldiers at home and abroad while upholding the IDF’s values. They are conducted with full respect for our troops, whom we, as their commanders, are responsible for.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and then-Defense Minister Yoav Gallant took several hours to respond to the unrest. “I have the utmost appreciation for the soldiers carrying out the complex and critical mission of detaining Hamas terrorists—despicable criminals whom we will bring to justice with the harshest measures. The IDF will continue operating within the law, Gallant said. "We must allow the proper authorities to conduct their investigations while respecting our soldiers. Even in times of anger, the law applies to everyone—we do not storm IDF bases, and we do not break the laws of the State of Israel.”
Minutes after Gallant’s statement, the Prime Minister’s Office released a statement condemning the base breach: “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calls for immediate calm in Shde Teiman and strongly condemns the intrusion into an IDF base.”
First published: 12:35, 02.19.25