The United Nations has added Israel and Russia to its annual blacklist of parties suspected of committing conflict-related sexual violence, marking a significant escalation in international scrutiny and triggering strong reactions from both governments.
The decision was included in UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ latest report to the UN Security Council on conflict-related sexual violence. Last year, both Israel and Russia had been placed “on notice” over allegations of rape and other forms of sexual abuse linked to armed conflict. The 2025 report formally adds them to the blacklist alongside armed groups already accused of such crimes, including Hamas.
The report contains disturbing descriptions of abuses allegedly committed by Israeli and Russian armed and security forces. According to the UN, verified incidents include rape, gang rape, sexual torture, forced nudity, genital violence, degrading strip searches, and threats of rape.
Israel reacted angrily to the announcement. Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon condemned the move, calling it “a political decision disconnected from facts and reality.” In posts published on X, Danon criticized the UN for placing Israel on the same blacklist as Hamas, the Palestinian militant group whose October 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel triggered the ongoing war in Gaza.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry announced that it would sever ties with the office of Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, accusing him of abandoning “every standard of honesty, integrity, and professionalism.” The ministry stated that Israel would suspend cooperation with the Secretary-General’s office until a new UN chief is appointed later this year.
UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric responded by emphasizing that the Secretary-General’s door “remains open to Israeli representatives, as to all member states.”
Allegations Against Israeli Forces
The UN report states that the organization verified multiple incidents of conflict-related sexual violence in the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank. Victims included men, women, boys, and girls.
According to the report, the abuses involved:
- Rape and gang rape, in some cases repeated
- Sexual assault with objects
- Violence directed at victims’ genitals
- Forced nudity and humiliating treatment
- Strip and cavity searches conducted without apparent security justification
- Threats of rape and sexual humiliation
The report alleges that many of these violations occurred during detention, interrogation, military raids, and at checkpoints operated by Israeli forces. Some incidents reportedly took place in military camps and detention facilities.
UN investigators said that survivors included journalists and human rights defenders. In several cases, the abuses were allegedly photographed or filmed, including at least one reported rape case.
The report further noted that women detainees were frequently subjected to threats of rape, forced stripping, and degrading searches, while men and boys experienced rape, attempted rape, and severe genital violence. In several cases, male victims reportedly suffered prolonged rectal bleeding and swelling following the assaults.
Israel has denied the accusations. Ambassador Danon said Israeli authorities had responded to every allegation in detail and invited UN representatives to inspect the situation directly, but claimed the offers were not accepted.
Allegations Against Russian Forces
The report also documented widespread sexual violence linked to Russian armed and security forces in Ukraine.
According to the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, investigators verified 310 cases of conflict-related sexual violence attributed to Russian personnel. Victims included 280 men, 26 women, and four girls.
The abuses reportedly included:
- Rape and gang rape
- Electric shocks to the genitals
- Genital mutilation
- Beatings and torture involving sexual violence
The UN stated that many of these violations occurred in detention settings and occupied territories during Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine.
Russia’s UN mission did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the report.
Symbolic but Significant Consequences
Although inclusion on the UN blacklist does not automatically trigger sanctions or legal penalties, it carries substantial political and reputational consequences. Countries and armed groups listed face increased international scrutiny, diplomatic pressure, and possible restrictions on participation in UN peacekeeping operations if violations persist.
Human rights organizations have long argued that public accountability is essential to addressing sexual violence in conflict zones, while critics accuse the UN of selective enforcement and politicization.
The latest report is expected to intensify diplomatic tensions at the United Nations and further deepen divisions over the wars in Gaza and Ukraine.
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