(MENAFN) Israeli troops accused of torturing and sexually abusing a Palestinian detainee at the Sde Teiman detention center have publicly justified their conduct, asserting that they are being unjustly targeted and pledging to “fight for justice.”

The incident stems from a case in July 2024 at the Sde Teiman military compound in southern Israel, where five reservists were first charged with rape and later indicted for “aggravated abuse” following the emergence of video evidence allegedly showing soldiers assaulting a blindfolded Palestinian prisoner.

Reports claim the man suffered several injuries, including a ruptured bowel and significant rectal damage.

Disguised with black masks to protect their identities, the accused soldiers appeared before Israel’s Supreme Court in West Jerusalem on Monday, where they made a defiant statement to the media.

“Instead of appreciation, we received accusations – instead of thanks, there was silence,” one masked serviceman declared. “You didn’t let us respond, you didn’t let us explain. You put us on trial in front of the cameras as if you had already decided who the culprit is.”

“We will not be silent. We will continue to fight for justice,” he continued. “We will win, because there is only one truth.”

The controversy resurfaced last week after the IDF’s former chief military prosecutor, Major General Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, stepped down, admitting that she had approved the release of the video.

In her resignation note, Tomer-Yerushalmi explained that she leaked the footage to counter “false propaganda” and emphasized that, even though the detainees were “terror operatives,” the army still had an obligation to examine any credible allegations of misconduct by IDF forces.

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