The office of the attorney general announced Wednesday that a criminal investigation has been opened into the leak of a video purporting to show IDF soldiers allegedly abusing a terrorist detained at the Sde Teiman military camp.
According to the IDF, in light of the investigation, the military’s chief prosecutor Maj. Gen. Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi has gone on leave. The investigation is being conducted by the civilian police and state prosecution, not by the military investigative police. Five reserve soldiers have been charged in connection with the alleged abuse.
The IDF statement indicates suspicion that individuals close to the military prosecutor’s office may have leaked or been involved in the leak; the possibility is still open that the senior officer herself authorized it. She is expected to appear as a witness in the investigation, not as a suspect at this stage. Her leave, those around her say, is voluntary and intended to preserve the integrity and independence of the investigation.
In its official announcement, the IDF said the roles of persons in the military prosecution are under review and that the chief of staff has approved the prosecutor’s request for leave pending further clarification of facts.
However, Defense Minister Israel Katz asserted that she was in fact placed on leave, saying, “Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir informed me that following the criminal investigation into the leak of the recording at Sde Teiman and the review of involvement of personnel in the military prosecution, the chief military prosecutor will go on leave. I commend and back the decision unequivocally; this is a serious affair that created a blood libel against IDF soldiers here and abroad and must be fully investigated.”
In a separate statement, the defense minister added that her leave “in view of the investigation and allegations regarding the leak of the recording in the Sde Teiman case, is a proper and necessary decision and I fully support it.” He further said, “We are dealing with one of the most severe blood libels against the IDF that exposes them to persecution and lawsuits around the world.” He noted that she will not return to her post “as long as the affair is being investigated” and said that when the investigation ends, “we will act in accordance with its conclusions.”
Attorney General Gali Baharav‑Miara’s office said the investigation was opened following new information. “The investigation is being conducted by the Investigations and Intelligence Division of the Israel Police, accompanied by the State Prosecution. In the past 24 hours, various investigative actions were taken, and the opening of the investigation was reported to the High Court of Justice. At this stage, since the investigation is ongoing, no further details can be released,” the statement said.
The video from Sde Teiman was broadcast by Keshet Media News in August 2024. It showed IDF soldiers allegedly committing serious offenses against Palestinian detainees. After its publication, questions were raised about whether the video was edited or comprised two different clips.
The Choosing Life Forum, representing bereaved families and terror victims, petitioned the High Court of Justice, demanding a criminal investigation into the leakers. The petitioners argued the leak, which occurred during combat in Gaza, endangered soldiers’ lives and harmed Israel’s standing internationally. After the investigation was announced, they said: “It must be ensured that the investigation is carried out in full in order to reach the truth and hold accountable the leakers and manipulators of the doctored video.”
The video leaked following the arrest of reserve soldiers from Unit 100, who were later charged with abusing a security detainee. Their arrest prompted widespread protests, including break‑ins at bases by right‑wing politicians. The defendants’ lawyers denied that any sexual offenses took place in detention, and throughout the proceedings have called for an investigation of the leak of the video, and for clarification that no sexual offenses, as allegedly implied by the video, were committed.
Indictment makes no mention of sexual abuse
According to the indictment, the alleged abuse occurred on July 5, 2024, at the Sde Teiman base near Be'er Sheva, which had been converted into a detention facility for security detainees amid the war. The reservists on trial include a major who served as the team commander and a captain. They were ordered to conduct a search on a detained Hamas operative from the elite Nukhba unit. After bringing the blindfolded detainee—his hands and feet bound with restraints—to the search area, the soldiers allegedly used excessive force.
Military Police confront reservists on Sde Teiman base
In late July, military police raided the base and detained eight reservists, after the IDF received testimonies and reports from foreign human rights organizations alleging abuse of Hamas detainees. During the raid, clashes reportedly broke out between military police and the reservists. Initial suspicions included sexual assault, but no such charges appeared in the final indictment.
The indictment states that once the detainee was brought in for the search, two of the reservists pinned him against a wall with his hands raised while the others stood nearby. Moments later, the detainee was seen on the floor writhing in pain as the accused stood around and at times leaned over him. Over the next 15 minutes, the soldiers allegedly kicked him, stomped on him, stood on his body and pushed him, including using a baton. They are also accused of dragging him across the floor and firing a taser gun at him, including to the head.
Attorneys for two of the defendants have called for the charges to be dropped. Attorneys Adi Keidar, Nati Rom and Moshe Polsky of the legal aid group Honenu said this would be a necessary step, adding that such a decision “would allow them to turn the page and begin to restore their good name.”
Lawmakers react as political tensions mount
Religious Zionist Party MK Tzvi Succot, who is expected to be questioned after storming the base last year in protest, responded to the investigation’s announcement by writing, “The criminals of Sde Teiman must be brought to justice.”
He accused the chief military prosecutor of falsely alleging that soldiers had raped detainees. “The leaked footage, taken from investigative materials in her possession, along with the baseless charges she promoted, have become a tool for wild anti-Israel propaganda around the world. Prison!” he wrote.
Justice Minister Yariv Levin linked the timing of the investigation’s announcement to the preliminary passage of a bill in the Knesset earlier in the day that would split the duties of the attorney general. “It’s no coincidence that right after the vote, we received news of this decision,” he said. “The appointment of a new Shin Bet chief, the new ombudsman for judicial complaints and this legislative reform represent a historic shift. We are witnessing the beginning of the end of decades of concealment and immunity for those who belong to ‘the right camp.’”