Palestinian organizations launch campaign against sexual violence in Israeli detention facilities

Ramallah – 14 July 2026: Palestinian prisoner organizations and former prisoners launched an international campaign in Ramallah against sexual violence during detention in Israel. The initiators intend to document testimonies from those affected, provide legal assistance, and promote investigations. The impetus came from reports by former prisoners of assaults during interrogations and detention. The allegations concern facilities run by the Israeli military, police, and prison service.

According to the organizers, several Palestinian human rights organizations and prisoners’ associations have joined the initiative. They demand an end to impunity and independent investigations. The campaign therefore primarily has a documentary and political aim: individual testimonies are to be systematically recorded and made available to international institutions. On Tuesday, the organizers did not provide a total number of alleged victims that could be publicly verified.

However, these allegations are not isolated. The latest annual report by the UN Secretary-General on conflict-related sexual violence states that the United Nations verified several cases of sexual violence against Palestinian men, women, and minors in 2025. According to the report, the violations occurred primarily in detention and during interrogations. Military camps, prisons of the Israeli prison service, and a police station are mentioned.

The UN documented violence against 14 men, seven women, nine boys, and one girl from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. These figures concern verified individual cases and do not allow direct conclusions about the full scale of possible assaults. At the same time, the report notes that those affected are often unable to speak about mistreatment because of threats, lack of access to legal assistance, and their particular dependence in detention.

Israel has repeatedly rejected similar allegations, calling them unfounded or politically motivated. In previous statements, the Israeli prison service said that prisoners are treated in accordance with applicable law and provided with medical care. In March 2026, Israeli military justice closed proceedings against five soldiers accused of mistreating a Palestinian prisoner at the Sde Teiman military camp. Following this, the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture demanded clarification regarding the decision.

Under international law, torture, rape, and all other forms of sexual violence against prisoners are unconditionally prohibited. The political outcome of the new campaign will therefore depend on whether it can secure convincing evidence in addition to eyewitness testimony, and whether Israeli authorities, international organizations, and courts can independently verify the allegations. The case also raises a key question of the war in Gaza: oversight of detention conditions in a conflict in which both sides allege serious violations of international humanitarian law.