Last updated on August 29th, 2024 at 05:53 pm
Washington: The US called Wednesday on Israel to investigate and hold accountable those responsible after a leaked video appeared to show soldiers sexually abusing a Palestinian prisoner. The footage, CCTV video broadcast on Israel’s Channel 12, purportedly shows the soldiers picking out a prisoner at the Sde Teiman base and performing sexual acts on him behind shields.
Late last month, the military announced it was opening an investigation into “suspected abuse” of a detainee at Sde Teiman, following reports by international media, United Nations agencies and human rights groups. Nine soldiers were taken in for questioning, after which far-right Israeli activists showed support for the accused, a number of whom managed to break into the facility.
The United States, a keen ally of Israel, has time and again expressed deep concern over the civilian toll in this ongoing conflict. On October 7, Hamas launched the deadliest-ever attack on Israel, killing 1,198 people, most of them civilians, according to official Israeli figures. Hamas also kidnapped 251 people, 111 of whom remain in captivity in Gaza, including 39 it says the military claims are dead.
However, the retaliatory response by Israel has killed 39,677 in Gaza, according to the health ministry in the region, which does not make any distinction in deaths between civilians and militants. Large swaths of the Palestinian territory have been devastated, with residential areas, schools among other key infrastructures in ruins.
Calls for Justice at Substantial Speed
The US has called for an immediate, thorough investigation into the reported abuses, noting that cases of human rights abuses should be subjected to justice and accountability.
Human Rights Concerns
The reported case of abuses and torture has sparked widespread concerns over human rights; hence, international organizations and experts have called on Israel to fulfill its commitment to international law by protecting prisoners’ rights.
Impact of the Conflict
Regarding this, the conflict between Israel and Hamas has caused great loss of life and damage to property on both sides. The international community is still closely monitoring events, with calls for restraint and protection of civilian life.