UN places Israel on notice as detainee testimonies allege systematic abuse in prisons

Former Palestinian detainees have provided testimony to Al Jazeera alleging systematic sexual abuse, starvation, and attacks by dogs within Israeli detention facilities. The accounts, featured in the documentary Bodies of Evidence: Israel’s Darkest Weapon, describe prisoners being stripped, blindfolded, and subjected to sexual violence by canines under the direction of soldiers. The allegations have prompted denials from Israeli officials, who have labelled the claims a "blood libel," while UN officials and human rights organisations have expressed grave concern over the treatment of detainees and the lack of independent access to verify the conditions.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has placed Israel "on notice" for possible inclusion in the UN’s list of parties credibly suspected of committing conflict-related sexual violence. This designation follows reports of sexual abuse in multiple prisons and military bases. Guterres cited "grave concern" over the allegations and noted that Israel’s refusal to grant UN inspectors access has made verification difficult. The International Committee of the Red Cross has been denied access to Palestinian prisoners since October 2023, complicating independent verification of detention conditions.

The testimonies detail a pattern of abuse across various detention sites, including Sde Teiman prison in the Negev desert. Survivors described being shackled until bleeding, subjected to invasive searches, and attacked by dogs while soldiers filmed the incidents. One former detainee, identified by the pseudonym Mohammed Zaki al-Bakri, stated he was raped by a large dog after being stripped and restrained. Another survivor, known as Job, described dogs being unleashed on prisoners in a ritualised manner, acting on verbal instructions from handlers.

Israeli officials have strongly rejected the allegations. The Israel Prison Service stated it operates in accordance with the law and under strict oversight, asserting that prisoners are held while safeguarding their basic rights. Israel’s ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter, argued that complaints of unlawful conduct should be submitted to investigative bodies for review. Some officials have described the claims as a "blood libel," a term historically used to describe false accusations against Jews, arguing that the allegations shift focus from the reporting to supposed anti-Semitic motives.

The fragmentation of Israel’s detention architecture, spanning military, intelligence, and civilian authorities, has drawn criticism from human rights advocates. Raji Sourani, director of the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, described the allegations as evidence of a systemic issue rather than isolated incidents. Meanwhile, Israeli lawyers representing Palestinian detainees have reported seeing prisoners in severe malnutrition, with some consuming only 800 calories per day. Despite these accounts, criminal prosecutions for abuse are rare, and human rights organisations report that complaints often go unaddressed or are met with retaliation.