Israel’s Military Advocate General Resigns After Probe Into Leaked Detainee Abuse Footage

Israel's Advocate General Major-General Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi resigned on Friday following a criminal investigation into her authorization of a leaked security video depicting alleged abuse of a Palestinian detainee at Sde Teiman camp. The footage, broadcast by N12 News in August 2024, showed soldiers isolating a prisoner, surrounding him with riot shields, and deploying a military dog while obstructing camera visibility. Tomer-Yerushalmi admitted approving the leak to counter propaganda targeting the military's legal apparatus, which she described as under sustained attack during the Gaza conflict.

The video originated from Sde Teiman, a facility holding Hamas operatives involved in the October 7, 2023 attacks alongside Palestinians detained in subsequent operations. Five soldiers face criminal charges for the incident, which triggered public outrage and led far-right protesters to storm two military bases after investigators attempted to question suspects. Defence Minister Israel Katz confirmed an ongoing probe into the leak, placing Tomer-Yerushalmi on forced leave earlier in the week. Her resignation letter defended the necessity of investigating abuse regardless of detainees' status, stating that even "terrorists of the worst kind" must not be subjected to prohibited acts.

Tomer-Yerushalmi's departure has intensified political divisions. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir celebrated the resignation and demanded investigations into additional legal officials, while posting footage of himself standing over bound Palestinian prisoners—identified as October 7 attackers—advocating capital punishment. Defence Minister Katz condemned those spreading "blood libels" against troops as unfit for service. The military maintains that abuse is not systemic, though it is examining dozens of cases amid reports from human rights organizations documenting severe mistreatment in detention facilities.

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The leak occurred one week after the base invasions, highlighting internal fractures within Israel's security establishment. Tomer-Yerushalmi argued that her actions preserved the legal department's credibility, which she said had been systematically undermined by accusations of leniency toward enemy combatants. Military prosecutors have emphasized adherence to international law, but right-wing lawmakers continue to frame investigations as betrayals of frontline personnel operating under extreme conditions.

This development coincides with the release of approximately 1,700 Gaza detainees under a ceasefire agreement that exchanged them for 20 Israeli hostages. Several freed hostages reported physical abuse by captors, with three alleging beatings in retaliation for Ben-Gvir's public statements on harshening prison conditions. The minister dismissed these claims as Hamas propaganda. As judicial proceedings advance against both the soldiers and the leaker, the episode underscores deepening tensions between military accountability and political pressures within Israel's wartime governance.

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