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A former Israeli reserve soldier has provided a firsthand account of severe torture and mistreatment of Gazan civilians at the Sde Teiman detention facility in southern Israel, describing a system of daily violence encouraged by commanders.
The soldier, who spoke anonymously to German newspaper Morgenpost, described conditions including "massive cages full of people" and detainees held bound for 24 hours at a time. The testimony adds to mounting allegations against the facility, which human rights advocates have dubbed "Israel's Guantanamo."
The former soldier said the descriptions of conditions at Sde Teiman were not exaggerated and that an atmosphere of revenge prevailed during his time at the facility. He recounted witnessing commanders actively encourage severe physical violence against detainees, describing one incident in which a Palestinian who attempted to look beneath his blindfold was beaten against a metal wall and subsequently taken to a cell with open wounds.
The allegations extend beyond physical beatings. Professor Yoel Donchin, an anesthesiologist at Hebrew University of Jerusalem, told the newspaper he treated a Palestinian detainee at a field hospital who had sustained serious injuries as a result of rape.
Oneg Ben Dror of Physicians for Human Rights Israel said numerous cases of sexual violence at the facility remain uninvestigated.
The Morgenpost report noted that a Palestinian detainee died last week after prisoners with chronic illnesses were denied access to their medications. The newspaper also reported that food restrictions have been used as a form of torture against those held at the facility.
Israel has barred the International Committee of the Red Cross from visiting detained Palestinians, according to the report. Court hearings are conducted via video link, meaning judges cannot observe the physical condition of prisoners.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not responded to the allegations of systematic mistreatment in detention facilities.
The testimony comes days after the UN Committee Against Torture issued a statement expressing deep alarm over reports of systematic torture and mistreatment of Palestinians, including children, in Israeli custody.
Sde Teiman, located in the Negev desert, has served as a primary holding site for Palestinians detained during Israeli military operations in Gaza. International humanitarian law requires that detained persons be treated humanely and prohibits torture, cruel treatment, and outrages upon personal dignity.
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