U.S. probes Israeli unit over alleged rights abuses at camp
The United States Department is investigating allegations of human rights violations involving one of the Israeli units. If the reports are confirmed, the Americans will cease sending weapons to this unit.
The U.S. State Department is investigating an Israeli military unit accused of human rights violations at a prisoner camp for Gaza Strip detainees, colloquially known as "Israel's Guantanamo." If U.S. authorities deem the accusations credible, the unit will lose access to American weaponry.
According to the Axios portal on Monday, citing Israeli and American officials, the investigation focuses on the unit overseeing the camp located at the Sede Teman military base in the Negev desert. This location houses Palestinians detained from the Gaza Strip and those suspected of involvement in Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023.
Several members of the unit have been charged with sexually assaulting one of the prisoners. Human rights organizations have long warned that human rights violations occur in the camp, criticized as "Israel's Guantanamo." According to the "Haaretz" newspaper, 30 prisoners have died there since the onset of the current Gaza Strip conflict.
Axios reports that the American investigation is being conducted under the so-called Leahy Law, which prohibits sending aid and military equipment to military and paramilitary units credibly accused of human rights violations.
A similar investigation was launched by the State Department in the first half of this year regarding the Netzah Yehuda Battalion, which was linked to the death of a 78-year-old U.S. citizen on the West Bank of the Jordan River. Ultimately, U.S. authorities decided not to impose sanctions, claiming that Israel had taken action to hold the perpetrators accountable and implemented mechanisms to prevent further incidents.
