Leak, Uproar, Resignation: Israel’s Top Military Prosecutor Quits, Admits To Releasing Palestinian Detainee-Abuse Video

Last Updated:November 01, 2025, 03:58 IST

The video, which aired in August 2024, purported to show Israeli soldiers assaulting a Palestinian detainee at the notorious Sde Teiman military detention facility

The incident at the Sde Teiman facility and the subsequent political fallout from the leak underscore the deeply controversial nature of the detention centres holding Palestinians from Gaza. Representational image/Reuters

Israel’s top military prosecutor, Major General Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, submitted her resignation on Friday, following her admission that she was responsible for leaking a sensitive video to the media. The video, which aired in August 2024, purported to show Israeli soldiers assaulting a Palestinian detainee at the notorious Sde Teiman military detention facility in southern Israel. This dramatic resignation, concluding her four-year tenure as Military Advocate General, highlights the immense internal and external pressures on the Israeli military’s legal system regarding accountability during wartime.

The leaked footage captured an incident where a Palestinian detainee, arrested during the Gaza war, was severely beaten by a group of soldiers, with subsequent reports noting he sustained grave injuries, including broken ribs and an internal tear. The Military Police had already launched an investigation into the abuse, leading to the arrest and indictment of five reservist soldiers. This investigation, however, sparked a fierce backlash from right-wing Israeli politicians and activists, who protested and even broke into military compounds, accusing the legal department of prioritising detainees over troops.

In her resignation letter, Tomer-Yerushalmi explained her decision to approve the leak, stating it was an attempt to “counter the false propaganda" directed against the military’s law enforcement authorities. She defended the necessity of investigating suspected unlawful acts, even against high-value detainees, stating this adherence to the rule of law is a “source of strength" for the military. Her admission, however, immediately drew sharp condemnation from figures like Defense Minister Israel Katz, who welcomed her resignation and suggested her actions amounted to a “blood libel" against the troops.

The incident at the Sde Teiman facility and the subsequent political fallout from the leak underscore the deeply controversial nature of the detention centres holding Palestinians from Gaza. Human rights groups have repeatedly cited Sde Teiman as a site of alleged systemic abuse and harsh conditions. Tomer-Yerushalmi’s action, and the criminal investigation launched into the leak itself, reflect a growing tension between the military’s obligation to investigate alleged war crimes and the mounting pressure from nationalist political factions seeking to protect soldiers from prosecution.

Pathikrit Sen Gupta

Pathikrit Sen Gupta is a Senior Associate Editor with News18.com and likes to cut a long story short. He writes sporadically on Politics, Sports, Global Affairs, Space, Entertainment, And Food. He trawls X via ...Read More

Pathikrit Sen Gupta is a Senior Associate Editor with News18.com and likes to cut a long story short. He writes sporadically on Politics, Sports, Global Affairs, Space, Entertainment, And Food. He trawls X via ...

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News world Leak, Uproar, Resignation: Israel’s Top Military Prosecutor Quits, Admits To Releasing Palestinian Detainee-Abuse Video

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