Israel’s military court has extended the house arrest of soldiers accused of sexually abusing a Palestinian detainee until September 4, 2024.
The court also allowed for a defense hearing to be held on Sunday, where the defense team can request an alternative to house arrest, such as supervised work arrangements.
The soldiers are accused of sexually abusing a member of an elite Hamas unit detained at the Sde Teiman facility in Israel’s Negev desert.
The case has drawn international attention, with the UN special rapporteur on torture describing it as “particularly gruesome.” The UN has called for a civilian court investigation and accountability for the alleged abuse.
Additionally, there have been multiple reports of alleged torture of Palestinians detained since October 7, 2023, following the large-scale Hamas assault on Israel, which left around 1,200 Israelis dead. The subsequent conflict has resulted in over 40,000 deaths in Gaza, according to health officials there.