United Nations, August 13, 2025: U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has issued a formal warning to Israel and Russia over “significant concerns” about patterns of sexual violence allegedly committed by their armed and security forces, according to a report obtained by Reuters.
In his annual report to the Security Council on conflict-related sexual violence, Guterres cited documented cases of genital violence, prolonged forced nudity of captives, and abusive strip searches aimed at humiliation and interrogation. He placed both countries “on notice” that they could be added next year to the U.N. list of parties credibly suspected of committing or being responsible for sexual violence in conflict.
Israel’s U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon dismissed the concerns as “baseless accusations,” urging the U.N. to focus instead on “the shocking war crimes and sexual violence of Hamas” and the release of hostages.
Hamas — whose October 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel sparked the ongoing Gaza war — was included in Guterres’ latest report as a group credibly suspected of committing sexual violence in armed conflict. Senior Hamas official Basem Naim rejected the allegations, accusing Israel of trying to divert attention from “ongoing brutal crimes” in Gaza.
Guterres expressed grave concern over alleged violations by Israeli forces against Palestinian detainees in prisons, a detention center, and a military base, noting “limited information” from Israeli authorities on accountability measures despite witness testimony and digital evidence.
The report also cited credible information of sexual violence by Russian armed forces and affiliated groups, primarily against Ukrainian prisoners of war in both official and unofficial detention facilities. Documented abuses included genital electrocution, beatings, burns, forced stripping, and prolonged nudity to humiliate or extract confessions.
Russia’s mission to the U.N. did not immediately respond to the findings. Guterres noted that Russian authorities have not engaged with his special envoy on sexual violence in conflict.
