Legal concerns mount amid circulating videos of Israeli soldiers humiliating Gaza detainees
Gaza (Quds News Network) – Legal experts are asserting that videos depicting detainees in Gaza, stripped of their clothes, bound, and blindfolded, filmed and shared online by Israeli soldiers, may constitute a violation of international law.
International law stipulates the unnecessary exposure of detainees to humiliation or public curiosity. The Israeli occupation army contends that it “terminated the service of one of the identified reserve soldiers,” claiming such videos hold no value.
Dr. Mark Ellis, a senior advisor to the United Nations at the International Criminal Court, stated that the footage from Israeli soldiers may breach recognized rules for the treatment of prisoners of war.
Most analyzed videos portray combat scenes, soldiers inspecting evacuated homes, and, disturbingly, soldiers wearing dinosaur costumes firing guns. However, eight videos, openly shared, are believed by legal experts to showcase mistreatment of Palestinian detainees.
These videos were posted by serving military personnel, revealing their identities. By reverse-searching an image of a Palestinian detainee circulated widely online, one account was traced back to Israeli soldier Yossi Gamzo Letova’s YouTube account.
The soldier uploaded multiple Gaza videos since early December, including footage of his unit, named Granite Battalion 932, part of the Nahal Brigade of the Israeli army.
In a video dated December 24, 2023, a semi-naked and bleeding Palestinian detainee, hands bound, sits on a chair during interrogation in what was later identified as the Gaza College through distinctive decor and the institution’s logo matched with its Facebook page. Later in the same video, the detainee is seen barefoot, walking in the streets of Gaza.
Letova posted another video on YouTube, showing hundreds of Palestinian detainees gathered in a sports field, identified as the Yarmouk Stadium in Gaza. Most detainees were stripped, some blindfolded and kneeling in orderly rows, while Israeli soldiers observed.
A soldier, seemingly aware of being filmed, appeared in the video multiple times. By comparing his uniform and insignia with publicly available images of the Israeli army uniform, he was identified as a captain or company commander.
The Geneva Convention mandates the protection of prisoners at all times, especially against violence, intimidation, and “insults and public curiosity.”
Human rights lawyer Michael Mansfield believes the footage warrants evaluation by a United Nations-affiliated court. He emphasized strict restrictions on dealing with detained individuals considered prisoners of war or conflict victims, citing a need to treat them with respect.
YouTube noted the removal of thousands of offensive videos and closure of channels during the Israel-Gaza conflict, emphasizing continuous monitoring efforts.
