Israeli soldiers charged with raping Palestinian detainee celebrate freedom

Israeli soldiers accused of sexually assaulting a Palestinian detainee at the Sde Teiman military base held a press conference, boasting about their freedom and chanting “We will win!”. 

Despite the charges, the soldiers remained free, were not held in custody, and most recently appeared in public wearing masks outside the Israeli Supreme Court in Jerusalem, where they defended their actions and demanded to be recognized as heroes rather than criminals.

In July 2024, at Sde Teiman , a military detention facility in southern Israel, a Palestinian detainee from Gaza was subjected to severe physical and sexual assault by Israeli reservist soldiers.

Reports cited rectal perforation, internal injuries, and other grievous harm. A video of the incident was leaked online. Five reservists were charged with aggravated abuse and causing serious bodily harm.

The case gained renewed attention after the resignation of Major General Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, Israel’s former Military Advocate General, on October 31, 2025. 

Her resignation came amid public outrage, threats, and political pressure. Far right activists labeled her a “traitor,” and extremist groups reportedly attempted to storm military bases.

Her admission that she had leaked footage of the abuse shattered the long held narrative of Israel’s so-called “moral army,” revealing the deep rooted violence and impunity within the occupation system.

After her disappearance for two days following her resignation, Tomer-Yerushalmi was later found and subsequently arrested for leaking the video to the media.