The Israeli military announced on Monday the arrest of nine soldiers as part of an investigation into alleged mistreatment of Palestinian prisoners at the detention center where they have been held since the start of the war on October 7, AFP reports.
An army spokesman confirmed to AFP that nine soldiers had been “taken in for questioning” in connection with the case.
According to Israeli media, the detainee is a Palestinian who was mistreated at the Sde Teiman detention center in the Negev desert in southern Israel. When military police arrived at the camp, several civilian protesters, including far-right lawmakers, gathered near it, denouncing the investigation into the soldiers, who they said were doing their duty. Some tried to break into the base.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant condemned the hacking attempts.
Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, the army chief of staff, condemned the protests and defended the investigation, which he said was meant to protect the honor of the Israeli army. “We are in the middle of a war and this type of action endangers the security of the state,” Halevi said in a statement regarding the protesters’ attempt to enter the camp. “It is these investigations that protect our soldiers in Israel and around the world and preserve the values of the IDF,” Halevi was quoted as saying by Reuters.
The investigation is part of a broader effort by Israel to ensure that human rights and military standards are upheld, even in the harsh conditions of war. An important component is maintaining the image of the Israeli army as a moral force both domestically and internationally.
