Israel, Russia among new additions on UN sexual violence ‘blacklist’ | Sexual Assault News
UN Places Israel on Blacklist for Sexual Violence Against Civilians
The United Nations has officially included Israel on a blacklist of nations accused of committing sexual violence against civilians. This addition comes amid Israel’s strong objections to its inclusion, which the country’s foreign ministry has labeled as unfounded.
The blacklist is part of a broader report on “conflict-related sexual violence,” released on Friday. Following the report, Israel’s foreign ministry announced plans to sever all ties with UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
The UN cited “credible information” suggesting that Israeli security forces engaged in acts of sexual violence against Palestinian detainees in prisons and other detention facilities. Israel has stated that UN inspectors have been denied access to these facilities.
Danny Danon, Israel’s ambassador to the UN, took to social media platform X, expressing frustration that UN representatives declined to visit Israel to investigate what he called “ridiculous allegations.”
Pramila Patten, the UN official responsible for the report, remarked at a news briefing on Friday that she had not received any information regarding preventive measures taken by the Israeli government to address the allegations. “I have made several requests in writing, and sometimes during meetings, for details about initial steps regarding accountability measures,” she stated, indicating a lack of substantive responses from Israel.
Patten acknowledged an invitation from Israel for UN officials to visit. However, she indicated that disagreements over access and cooperation, coupled with the ongoing conflict in Gaza, led to the suspension of the visit.
Multiple Incidents Reported in Gaza and West Bank
The latest report outlines confirmed instances of conflict-related sexual violence, including acts of torture. In total, the UN verified incidents involving 14 men, seven women, nine boys, and one girl from the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank for the year 2025. It noted that 13 incidents occurred in 2022, while 18 incidents were reported in the years 2023 and 2024.
The report details various forms of violence, including rape, gang rape, and physical assaults. Notably, the report mentions that many of the victims are Palestinians from Gaza, with the assaults primarily occurring during detention and interrogation at military camps and checkpoints.
Survivors include journalists and human rights defenders, with some violations reportedly filmed or photographed. The report also highlights abuse directed specifically at female detainees, including threats of sexual violence and unjustified strip searches, while male detainees faced significant physical injuries.
Russia Also Added to the Blacklist
The UN report has similarly documented instances of sexual violence perpetrated by Russian military forces. The monitoring mission in Ukraine has confirmed 310 cases of conflict-related sexual violence attributed to Russian armed forces, involving a wide range of abusive acts.
The report’s annex lists 77 parties responsible for patterns of sexual violence in conflict, with over 62 being non-state actors. New additions also include three armed groups in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The report indicates nearly 10,000 recorded cases of conflict-related sexual violence globally last year, more than double the previous year’s figures. While being placed on the blacklist does not impose automatic punitive measures, it can result in significant reputational damage and restrict a country’s participation in UN peacekeeping operations.
Patten expressed concern over the increasing trend of conflict-related sexual violence, attributing the rise to ongoing violent conflicts and a prevailing culture of impunity that emboldens perpetrators. “This number represents only the very tip of the iceberg,” she asserted.
