UN Secretary-General António Guterres has cautioned Israel that it could be named in the United Nations’ next report on sexual violence in conflict unless it addresses concerns about the treatment of Palestinians in custody.
Guterres said the UN has “serious concern” over reports of sexual violence against Palestinians in prisons, detention centers, and military bases. He outlined steps Israel should take immediately, including issuing explicit orders banning sexual violence, enforcing those orders through disciplinary measures, investigating all credible allegations, securing personal commitments from commanders, and granting the UN unrestricted access for monitoring and delivering humanitarian aid.
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The secretary-general said the UN will assess whether those measures have been implemented before the 2025 reporting period to decide if Israel will be added to the list, which names governments and groups accused of such abuses.
Israel’s ambassador to the UN rejected the warning, saying, “The secretary-general chooses once again to believe baseless accusations, which are steeped in biased publications.”