• UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warns Israel and Russia over sexual violence claims.
• Documented incidents include genital violence and forced nudity.
• Israel's UN Ambassador dismisses allegations as "baseless."
• Guterres urges Israel for immediate action to address these violations.
• Russia accused of committing similar acts against Ukrainian prisoners.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has put Israel and Russia "on notice" regarding serious allegations of sexual violence by their armed forces. In his annual report to the UN Security Council, Guterres indicated that both countries could be listed next year among parties "credibly suspected" of committing acts of sexual violence in conflict situations. The report highlights significant patterns of abuse, including genital violence, prolonged forced nudity, and degrading humiliation aimed at captives, according to Reuters, Al Jazeera, IndiaTimes, and TRT Global.

Guterres expressed grave concerns about credible reports of such abuses, particularly against Palestinians in Israeli detention facilities, highlighting that Israel's refusal to grant access to UN monitors complicated investigations into these claims. He urged immediate actions including investigations into credible allegations and the establishment of clear codes of conduct prohibiting sexual violence, as reported by Reuters, Al Jazeera, and IndiaTimes.

In response to these allegations, Israel's ambassador to the UN denounced them as "baseless" and argued that the UN should focus on the actions of Hamas instead. He stated that Israel would continue to protect its citizens and act within the bounds of international law. Reportedly, in July 2024, the Israeli military detained nine soldiers over alleged sexual abuse of a Palestinian detainee at the Sde Teiman prison, which has been under scrutiny for similar accusations, according to Reuters, Al Jazeera, IndiaTimes, and TRT Global.

Additionally, Guterres raised serious concerns regarding Russian military and security forces, as well as their affiliated groups, for targeting Ukrainian prisoners of war. The Secretary-General noted a significant number of documented incidents involving genital violence, electrocution, and other forms of humiliation aimed at eliciting information in detention facilities across Ukraine and Russia. The challenges in obtaining clear reports from Russian authorities were also pointed out since they have not engaged with UN monitors regarding these abuses, according to Reuters, Al Jazeera, IndiaTimes, and TRT Global.