Leaks from Hell: What is Happening inside Israeli 'Sde Teiman' Prison?

The Sde Teiman detention camp, situated in the arid expanse of the Negev desert, became a battleground of conflicting interests.

Hundreds of Israeli extremists, fueled by political and security affiliations, stormed the base in a dramatic protest against the military police’s investigation into nine Israeli reserve soldiers.

The soldiers stand accused of sexually assaulting, torturing, and abusing Palestinian prisoners.

‘Prison Raid’

The raid witnessed an unprecedented convergence of forces. Members of the Knesset, the Israeli occupation’s legislative body, joined the protest.

Among them were representatives from the ruling coalition, including Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party, Religious Zionism led by Bezalel Smotrich, and Jewish Power under Itamar Ben-Gvir’s leadership.

Their collective pressure forced the military police to transfer the detained soldiers to the Beit Lid military base north of Tel Aviv for further investigation. However, the intruders persisted, breaching the Beit Lid base as well.

This incident transcends mere criminal allegations. It lays bare the deep fissures between Israel’s military and political institutions.

While some narratives attempt to sanitize the occupation’s image, portraying it as an institution that upholds justice, the events at Sde Teiman reveal a stark reality.

The Sde Teiman prison, affiliated with the Southern Command of the Israeli army, was previously an alternative headquarters for the Coordination and Liaison Directorate in Gaza.

With the outbreak of the Israeli war on Gaza last October, the authorities decided to reactivate the facility.

Their stated purpose was to detain Palestinian prisoners, particularly members of the “elite unit” of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades—the military wing of Hamas—captured during the conflict.

Since then, leaks have emerged, pointing to widespread violations committed by the occupation forces against detainees at Sde Teiman.

In December 2023, Hebrew newspapers published reports detailing the systematic torture of prisoners within its walls. These revelations prompted outrage and concern from human rights organizations.

Approximately 1,500 Gazans have been detained in Sde Teiman since the war began, in addition to hundreds arrested during previous conflicts.

Shockingly, the US announced that more than 50 detainees lost their lives inside the prison. Most of these fatalities were from the Gaza Strip. 

Sexual Assault

In a recent development, reports have emerged that nine Israeli soldiers, including the commander of Force 100—a unit responsible for guarding prisoners—now face trial for alleged sexual assault against a Gaza prisoner.

The victim was taken to Soroka Hospital in Beersheba with serious injuries. Haaretz, an Israeli newspaper, has published compelling evidence corroborating the soldiers’ involvement in heinous violations against Palestinian detainees.

According to the newspaper, during an incident, a member of Force 100 instructed all detainees to lie on the ground, then proceeded to throw sound bombs at them and violently kick them.

The Israeli government’s handling of this evidence has drawn scrutiny. Despite attempts to conceal it and avoid investigations into the violations against Palestinian prisoners, regional and international pressures, along with foreign press coverage, have forced the Israeli Supreme Court into a difficult and embarrassing position.

In response to the soldiers’ detention, hundreds of extremists, settlers, and elites converged on the base. Led by several extremist Knesset members, including Zvi Sukkot from the Religious Zionism party and Nissim Vaturi from the Likud, they stormed the gate.

Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu even chanted, “Death to the terrorists.” Almog Cohen, a member of the Jewish Power party, demanded the release of detainees from the iron cages in which they were held.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir expressed his dismay, stating that the sight of military police officers arresting their “best heroes” in Sde Teiman was nothing short of shameful.

Amid this chaotic scene, the Israeli military police transferred the arrested soldiers to the “Beit Lid” base. However, the demonstrators persisted, pursuing the soldiers and storming the base once again.

‘Israeli Guantanamo’

Tariq Bodyafa, a Palestinian researcher and activist, said that Sde Teiman is often referred to as “Israel’s Guantanamo” within human rights circles, the prison has drawn attention due to its alleged brutality and blatant criminality.

“The prison is more akin to a military camp or barracks than a regular prison. Tanks, armored vehicles, and military equipment are scattered throughout the vast compound, with soldiers patrolling the sand dunes,” Bodyafa told Al-Estiklal.

The prison is divided into four sections, each housing Gazan prisoners in sheds made of tin and zinc. Shockingly, these cramped structures accommodate up to 100 detainees each, subjecting them to inhumane conditions and depriving them of life’s basic necessities.

Human rights reports, based on testimonies from former detainees, reveal a range of abuses suffered by those inside.

“Shackling detainees at all times, some prisoners have even had limbs amputated due to the effects of restraints. Violations of dignity, sexual torture, and exposure to foul odors are commonplace within this Israeli Guantanamo,” Bodyafa added.

“Detainees endure narrow spaces, silence, and beatings, while armed soldiers and police dogs maintain a constant presence. Bathroom breaks are limited to one minute, exceeding which results in punishment,” Bodyafa noted. “Showers are a weekly luxury, and starvation looms due to insufficient food. Mattresses and blankets are scarce, and religious practices are suppressed.”

Images from human rights reports depict detainees confined in iron cages without basic amenities. Limbs remain shackled around the clock, leading to amputations. Blindfolding persists for extended periods, and surgical procedures occur without anesthesia. 

Even more disturbingly, some prisoners remain incarcerated beyond their sentences, trapped in open-ended detention. The theft of organs from deceased prisoners and their burial in numbered graves, disregarding religious customs, adds another layer of horror to this tragic narrative.

“The record of Israeli abuses against Palestinian detainees is a dark story of criminality, brutality, and racism. Thousands of victims bear witness through their harrowing testimonies, documenting the grip of torture and the leaks from sporadic human rights reports,” Bodyafa mentioned.

Bodyafa concluded by saying: “In the end, this incident exposes the entrenched fascism and cancerous racism within Israeli society. A new generation of extremist fundamentalists, shaped by the ideologies of Ben-Gvir and Smotrich, threatens to transform the Israeli occupation into a first-class echo of history’s darkest chapters.”