The Israeli military on Monday (July 29) announced an investigation into the alleged mistreatment of a Palestinian prisoner captured during the Gaza war, a case that has sparked protests and criticism from right-wing politicians.
The military said the Advocate General had ordered an investigation “following allegations of serious mistreatment of a detainee.” However, no further details were provided.
Army Radio reported that military police were involved in the investigation at the Sde Teiman detention center, where about 10 reservists were suspected of being involved in the mistreatment of a prisoner taken from an elite Hamas unit.
Human rights groups, including the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI), have alleged serious abuse of detainees at the camp. The military has previously said it is investigating the allegations of abuse. The camp itself is a former military base in the Negev Desert that Israel plans to close.
As military police arrived at the camp, scores of civilian protesters, including right-wing lawmakers, gathered outside to denounce the investigation into soldiers they said were just doing their jobs. Some of them tried to breach the base.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant condemned the forced entry.
Military Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi also condemned the protests and defended the investigation efforts, which he considered a show of respect for the Israeli military (IDF).
“We are in the midst of a war situation, and such actions endanger the security of the country,” Halevi said in a statement about the attempted incursion. “It is precisely this investigation that protects our soldiers in Israel and around the world and preserves the values of the IDF,” he said.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich posted a message on social media platform X, saying soldiers should be honored as heroes, not criminals. Smotrich is the leader of the nationalist-religious bloc in Netanyahu's government and has been a frequent critic of the military command.
The reports of detainee abuse in Israeli jails add to international pressure on Israel's actions in the Gaza war, now in its 11th month. In May, the U.S. State Department announced it was investigating allegations of Israeli mistreatment of Palestinian prisoners. (ah/es), (ps/ab)
