By The Media Line Staff

The Israeli military prosecutor has charged five reservists with abusing a Palestinian prisoner at Sde Teiman prison, resulting in severe injuries, including cracked ribs, a punctured lung, and a rectal tear, the military announced on Wednesday. The case, which involves a prisoner allegedly affiliated with Hamas’ elite unit, has brought renewed attention to reports of abuse in Israeli detention facilities.

According to the indictment, the attack occurred on July 5, 2024, at the military-run prison in the Negev desert. The reservists allegedly assaulted the detainee while he was restrained and blindfolded. “The indictment charges the accused with acting against the detainee with severe violence, including stabbing the detainee’s bottom with a sharp object, which had penetrated near the detainee’s rectum,” the military stated. The prosecution says medical records and security footage provide extensive evidence supporting the charges.

The case has sparked controversy in Israel, with civilian protesters breaking into Sde Teiman and another detention site last year as authorities investigated the incident.

While Israeli officials condemned the reported abuse, human rights groups and Palestinian activists argue that it reflects a broader pattern of mistreatment of detainees in Israeli prisons.

Earlier this month, a military court sentenced a soldier to seven months in prison for repeatedly abusing Palestinian prisoners.

Reports of abuse in detention centers have added to international pressure on Israel as it prepares for indirect negotiations with Hamas over the next phase in the ceasefire agreement between the sides. As in the current phase, a major focus will be on a potential exchange of Israeli hostages abducted by Hamas for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.