Israel’s military has dropped charges against five soldiers accused of torturing a Palestinian detainee during the Gaza war, abruptly closing a case that had exposed deep political and legal divisions inside the country. The decision, announced Thursday, ends a prosecution that drew international scrutiny and fierce backlash from right-wing politicians and protesters. Critics warn the move risks signalling that abuses against Palestinian prisoners will go unpunished at a time when the region is already gripped by war. Political pressure erupts over prosecution Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu swiftly welcomed the decision, framing the case as an attack on the military. “The State of Israel must hunt down its enemies, not its own heroic fighters,” he said. The prosecution had become a lightning rod inside Israel, with right-wing demonstrators — including members of Netanyahu’s cabinet — storming military bases to protest the investigation. The political pressure turned the legal case into a national flashpoint, testing whether soldiers accused of abusing detainees would face consequences. Leaked footage ignites the scandal The controversy intensified after leaked security camera footage from the Sde Teiman detention camp appeared to show soldiers surrounding a Palestinian prisoner and shielding their actions from view with riot gear while holding a dog. Military prosecutors alleged the detainee suffered severe abuse, including being stabbed with a sharp object that caused a tear near his rectum. The footage was leaked by former military advocate general Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, who later resigned and was arrested. She said the leak was intended to counter what she described as propaganda undermining Israel’s military justice system. Case collapses as evidence evaporates Israel’s new chief military prosecutor, Itai Ofir, said the charges were being withdrawn due to “exceptional circumstances” affecting the ability to prosecute the case. Central to the decision was the absence of the alleged victim, who has since been released back into Gaza as part of a ceasefire deal. Without the detainee present to testify, prosecutors said the evidentiary basis for the case had weakened significantly. Rights groups warn of dangerous precedent Palestinian and Israeli rights organisations reacted with alarm, warning the move could embolden further abuse. The Palestinian Prisoners Society said the decision amounted to a “green light” for mistreatment of detainees. Meanwhile the Association for Civil Rights in Israel has already petitioned for the closure of Sde Teiman over widespread allegations of torture. Although Israel has begun scaling back the facility’s use, rights groups say reports of abuse inside Israeli detention centres remain widespread — and now even harder to challenge. Israel drops charges against soldiers accused of abusing Gaza detainee
