Israeli soldier Israel Hajabi has been convicted of severe assaults against Palestinian detainees from Gaza, the first such conviction amidst ongoing allegations of abuse in detention facilities. The military court found that Hajabi, while guarding detainees at the Sde Teiman detention center, inflicted serious physical harm and humiliation, as evidenced by video recordings of the attacks. Rights organizations criticized the lenient seven-month sentence, calling it insufficient to deter future abuses. The case highlights systemic issues of violence and the lack of accountability within military prisons, with demands for broader investigations into documented abuses.
Israel Hajabi, 25, repeatedly attacked bound and blindfolded detainees with his fists, a baton and his assault rifle, a military court found, describing his actions as serious and severe.
The assaults were committed between January and June 2024, captured on video, and continued as victims cried out in pain. Hajabi also forced detainees to make animal noises.
Hajabi was sentenced to seven months after a plea deal, which rights groups said was too short to serve as a deterrent.
It is important to remember that there were other people involved in the incident who were not brought to justice, and many other cases of abuse have not been investigated at all.
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