Israel put on UN sexual violence in warzones blacklist

The United Nations Secretary-General’s annual report on conflict-related sexual violence included Israel in its annex listing parties identified as having credible information indicating responsibility for sexual violence in armed conflict contexts.

According to the report, the United Nations verified 31 cases of alleged sexual violence involving Israeli military, police, or prison personnel against Palestinians from Gaza and the West Bank. The report stated that 13 cases occurred in 2025 and 18 in the preceding two years.

The report documented victims as including men, women, boys, and one girl. Allegations included rape, gang rape, forced nudity, and violence directed at genitals. The UN stated that these findings reflected incidents and patterns based on available information, and were not considered a comprehensive account of all possible cases.

The United Nations noted that its ability to fully investigate allegations was limited by access restrictions, security conditions, and constraints on conducting field investigations in conflict areas.

The Government of Israel rejected the allegations and the inclusion in the report. Israeli officials stated that the armed forces operate under domestic and international law and denied systematic sexual abuse by state personnel. Israel also announced it would reduce or suspend cooperation with the office of the UN Secretary-General in response to the report.

The report also referenced allegations of sexual violence involving other parties in the broader conflict, including Hamas, which was previously included in earlier UN reporting following the 7 October 2023 attacks. The UN noted that some allegations regarding hostage abuse by Hamas could not be independently verified due to lack of access to affected areas.

Additional references in the report included broader findings on sexual violence in other conflict zones, including cases involving Russian armed forces in the context of the war in Ukraine, where the UN reported hundreds of incidents affecting both detainees and civilians.

The UN report is part of an annual monitoring mechanism and does not constitute a judicial determination of criminal liability. It compiles verified information, allegations, and documented patterns from conflict zones worldwide.