(MENAFN) The release of a video allegedly depicting Israeli soldiers sexually assaulting a Palestinian detainee has been described as the “most serious public relations attack against Israel,” according to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The footage, which was filmed at the Sde Teiman military base near the Gaza border, shows soldiers escorting a blindfolded prisoner and surrounding him with riot shields, as they are accused of committing the assault. The video was leaked to a broadcaster in Israel and aired in August 2024, sparking widespread outrage and condemnation.

The detainee, who later received medical treatment, suffered from a ruptured bowel, severe anal and lung injuries, as well as broken ribs. Initially, five reservists were under investigation for charges of rape, but a February indictment later downgraded these charges to “severe abuse.”

All the suspects have denied the allegations, and the legal proceedings are still ongoing.

The controversy resurfaced on Friday when Maj. Gen. Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) top military lawyer, admitted that she had approved the video’s release and subsequently resigned from her position.

At a cabinet meeting on Sunday, Netanyahu condemned the leak, emphasizing that it had caused “enormous reputational damage” to Israel, the IDF, and its soldiers.

He stated that the leak was possibly the most damaging public relations crisis Israel had faced since its establishment. “I cannot recall one so concentrated and intense,” Netanyahu remarked, as reported by a media outlet.

He further called for “an independent and impartial inquiry” into the matter.

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