A Palestinian journalist testified that she was sexually assaulted and tortured by Israeli forces in the Sudeh Teyman detention center, leaving her with severe psychological trauma, according to a Monday report in Al Mayadeen citing the Palestinian Center for the Protection of Journalists (PCHR).
PCHR reports that the journalist endured a mental breakdown for more than two months and chose not to reveal his real name to protect his family.
He spent a total of 20 months in Israeli detention, including three months in Sde Teiman and one month in Ofer.
The journalist was arrested on duty on March 18, 2024, during a raid on Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, wearing a press vest and carrying a camera, clearly identified as a journalist, and PCHR described the incident as one of the most serious crimes against journalists in Israeli custody.
He reported that he and seven other detainees were restrained, blindfolded, and taken to a segregated area of the detention center, where they were then subjected to mass sexual assault for nearly three minutes.
Medical and legal experts confirmed that his symptoms were consistent with acute stress disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder.
The journalist said the abuse was not an isolated incident but part of a systematic effort to break the will of detainees, describing the use of dogs as instruments of torture, harsh interrogations, and frequent transfers between detention facilities while bound and blindfolded.
He characterized his nearly 100 days in Sde Teiman as “inhumane”, citing physical and psychological abuse, sleep deprivation, starvation, religious insults, inadequate medical care and electric shocks.
He said the sexual assault was the most serious violation and took place in a segregated room under the supervision of Israeli personnel and without accountability.
PCHR called for the case to be referred to the International Criminal Court for an immediate investigation, prosecution of those responsible, and provision of medical care and protection for survivors and witnesses.
The report highlighted growing evidence of systematic torture in Israeli prisons, with testimony from Palestinian journalists.