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Israeli authorities have removed travel bans imposed on several soldiers facing trial for the alleged rape of a Palestinian detainee at Sde Teiman military prison, a detention facility that has drawn international scrutiny over reported torture and mistreatment of Palestinian prisoners.
The decision affects members of "Force 100," a military unit stationed at the Sde Teiman facility in southern Israel, according to a report by Israeli state broadcaster KAN. The travel restrictions were lifted during a court hearing while legal proceedings against the accused soldiers remain ongoing.
Israel's Channel 12 television previously broadcast surveillance footage reportedly held by the Israeli Military Prosecution showing soldiers surrounding a Palestinian prisoner during the alleged assault. The video appears to show the soldiers attempting to conceal their actions from detention center cameras.
Military investigators launched a probe into the incident on charges including torture, sexual assault, and attempted violation of bodily integrity. Nine soldiers were initially taken into custody in connection with the case, though no sentences have been announced against any of the defendants.
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The detentions in July 2024 sparked an immediate response from far-right activists, who gathered outside the detention center to protest the arrests. As military police moved to detain the suspect soldiers, a group of far-right demonstrators—including members of the Israeli parliament—stormed the Sde Teiman military base in an apparent effort to prevent the apprehensions.
The legal proceedings continue without a verdict, and Israeli military authorities have not indicated when the trial might conclude. The case has intensified ongoing debates within Israel about accountability for alleged abuses at military detention facilities housing Palestinian prisoners captured during the war in Gaza.
Sde Teiman, originally a logistics base in the Negev desert, was converted into a detention facility following the Oct. 2023 Hamas attack on Israel. Human rights organizations have documented numerous allegations of mistreatment at the facility, though Israeli officials have defended detention practices as necessary security measures.
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