JAKARTA - Cases of sexual violence in Israeli prisons have again been revealed to the public. This is the umpteenth time that Palestinians have been victims of sexual harassment, with strong indications that the perpetrators are Israeli police or soldiers.
Citing AN, Wednesday, May 13, the case was revealed by the New York Times by columnist Nicholas Kristof, who quoted testimony from former prisoners, human rights organizations, and findings referred to by UN bodies.
Kristof, who asked for testimony from 14 Palestinian men and women, found that there was a systematization of rape in prisons run by the Israeli authorities or army.
Sami al-Sai, 46, a journalist featured in the report, gave testimony described by Kristof as a type of sexual violence, which according to the UN report is Israel's "standard operating procedure" and "a key element in the mistreatment of Palestinians."
"They all beat me, and one of them stepped on my head and neck," he told the New York Times.
His testimony detailed how Israeli prison guards pulled the victim's underwear off and used batons after the sexual assault took place.
A Palestinian female detainee who gave another testimony said she was insulted and harassed every day by Israeli male and female guards. This female victim described the act as a strategy for Israel to "destroy her spirit".
"They groped my whole body," the woman said.
"To be honest, I don't know if they raped me," he said, because sometimes he lost consciousness from being beaten.
"I was stripped of my clothes and beaten several times a day. It was as if they were introducing me to everyone who worked there. At the beginning of each shift, they would bring the men to strip me of my clothes," he continued.
Another testimony describes in detail how a dog was used to rape a Palestinian prisoner in an Israeli prison.
"They used a camera to take photos, and I heard their laughter and giggles," the report read.
The columnist's report has triggered a harsh reaction from politicians and media in Israel.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry responded by calling it an anti-Semitic "blood libel". In response, Kristof wondered, if there was nothing to hide, why were many Palestinian prisoners denied visiting the Red Cross humanitarian organization until humanitarian observers?
Israel has detained 20,000 people in the West Bank alone since its aggression on Gaza began on October 7. Since then until May 2026, more than 9,000 Palestinians are still being held by Israel. Of the detainees, many have not been charged but are held on unclear security grounds.
Human rights organizations documenting human rights violations in the Israeli-occupied areas such as B'Tselem and various UN bodies have expressed concern about conditions in detention facilities and Israeli-run prisons. They also called for an independent investigation.
"Rampant sexual abuse of Palestinian detainees is the norm; it has been normalized," said Sari Bashi, an Israeli-American human rights lawyer who is the executive director of the 'Public Committee Against Torture' in Israel.
"I don't see evidence that it was ordered. But there is constant evidence that the authorities knew it was happening and didn't stop it," he continued.
Cases of sexual harassment where the victims are Palestinian prisoners and the perpetrators are Israeli police or soldiers have previously been revealed to the public.
The case had shocked the public amid censorship policies and strict supervision of journalists covering Israeli-controlled areas. The reason is that five Israeli soldiers were caught on camera committing sadistic rape of a Palestinian prisoner in an Israeli military detention facility in Sde Teiman. The recording was broadcast by Israeli television.
The case began with Major General Yifat Tomer - Yerushalmi, an Israeli military lawyer who leaked the video footage to the Channel 12 media. The mayor also accused five Israeli soldiers who were recorded on camera of committing the rape.
However, the incident on July 5, 2024 after entering the Israeli Court did not result in a punitive sentence. The indictment against the five soldiers was actually canceled by the court in March 2026.
Meanwhile, the mayor, suddenly resigned in 2025 and was arrested on various charges, ranging from fraud to breach of trust.
According to Al Jazeera, the case of Israeli soldiers raping Palestinian prisoners in Sde Teiman involved the use of knives until there was damage to the victim's anus.
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