United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned Israel about being listed for potentially committing patterns of certain forms of sexual violence, according to the Israeli mission to the UN.
Guterres sent a letter to Israel’s ambassador, Danny Danon, citing “credible information” of violations by Israeli forces against Palestinians in prisons and detention centers. The UN is concerned about consistent denial of access to monitors, making it difficult to assess patterns of sexual violence.
A 2024 report by B’Tselem, an Israeli human rights group, found that Palestinian detainees were repeatedly subjected to sexual violence by soldiers or prison guards. Israel has denied allegations of systematic abuse.
The UN had previously found evidence of sexual violence committed by Israel in the past, including during Hamas’ October terror attack in Israel. The UN Office of the Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict publishes an annual report that documents sexual violence committed in armed conflict.
Israel’s government has rejected these claims, but Guterres urged the country to take immediate action to stop acts of sexual violence.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/08/12/middleeast/israel-un-sexual-violence-report-intl