Israeli Military Under Scrutiny for Alleged Abuse at Gaza Detention Facility

The Israeli military is interrogating nine soldiers over 'substantial abuse' accusations against a detainee at the Sde Teiman facility, where Palestinian prisoners have been held during the Gaza conflict. Reports indicate severe conditions, leading to outcry from Israel's far-right government and human rights groups' concern.

The Israeli military announced Monday it is holding nine soldiers for questioning following allegations of 'substantial abuse' of a detainee at a shadowy facility where Palestinians have been held throughout the Gaza conflict.

Details of the alleged abuse were sparse, with the military revealing only that its top legal official initiated a probe. An investigation by The Associated Press and reports by rights groups have highlighted dire conditions at the Sde Teiman facility, Israel's largest detention center.

Earlier this year, a United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, reported claims of ill-treatment and abuse by detainees in Israeli custody, without naming the facility specifically. Although Israel usually denies such allegations, it has since begun transferring detainees out of Sde Teiman and upgrading the facility.

When military police arrived at Sde Teiman in southern Israel to detain the accused soldiers, they faced protests and scuffles.

The soldiers' detention sparked outrage among members of Israel's far-right government, who condemned the investigation as an insult to their service.

According to official figures, Israel has detained thousands of Palestinians since the Oct 7 Hamas attack that ignited the ongoing war in Gaza, though many detainees were later released after proving no affiliation with Hamas. Israeli human rights groups report that most detainees have passed through Sde Teiman.

International mediators are negotiating a cease-fire deal between Hamas and Israel to end the war in Gaza and free over 100 remaining hostages.