UN Blacklists Israel and Russia Over Sexual Violence Allegations
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - The United Nations (UN) has again highlighted sexual violence in conflict zones by adding Israel and Russia to its blacklist of perpetrators of wartime sexual violence, Friday (29 May).
Citing Reuters, the move is part of the UN’s annual report on sexual violence in armed conflict, released recently.
The report noted an increase in cases of rape, sexual slavery, sexual exploitation, and other forms of gender-based violence against civilians, particularly women and children, in various war zones.
This has prompted Israel’s foreign ministry to sever all ties with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
The annual report by Guterres to the UN Security Council on conflict-related sexual violence went further than last year, when he warned Israel and Russia that they could be added to the list of parties credibly suspected of perpetrating patterns of rape or other sexual violence.
The latest report includes harrowing descriptions of violations committed by Israeli and Russian armed and security forces.
Israel’s longstanding enemy Hamas, whose October 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel sparked the Gaza war, is already on the blacklist. Israeli UN Ambassador Danny Danon posted on X on Thursday stating that equating Israel with militant groups marks a new low.
“This is a political decision. Regardless of facts and reality,” Danon said in another post by Israel’s mission to the UN, adding he was informed during a phone call with Guterres.
The Russian mission to the UN has not responded to requests for comment on the report.
Meanwhile, US UN Ambassador Mike Waltz posted on X that it is “absurd” for the UN to place a democracy like Israel, with strong rule of law that investigates and holds perpetrators accountable, on the same level as terrorist organisations like Hamas.
Reputational damage
Being listed does not automatically trigger specific punitive measures like sanctions, but public exposure and humiliation can cause significant reputational damage to involved countries, and repeat offenders are barred from UN peacekeeping operations.
Danon said Israel has responded in detail to each allegation and invited UN representatives to visit and inspect the situation, but they chose not to.
“Given that Antonio Guterres has chosen to violate every standard of honesty, integrity, and professionalism, Israel has decided to sever all ties with the Office of the Secretary-General and will wait until the new UN Secretary-General is appointed,” according to Israel’s Foreign Ministry post on X.
The new UN Secretary-General is scheduled to be appointed by the end of this year.
Pramila Patten, Guterres’ special representative for conflict-related sexual violence, confirmed in a press conference that Israel had extended an invitation, but cited disagreements over the scope of the visit and issues related to access and cooperation, stating the visit was ultimately suspended due to the Gaza war.
Patten also said that globally, the UN-verified cases of conflict-related sexual violence increased by over 100% in 2025 compared to 2024, calling it a “deeply concerning trend” and the “tip of the iceberg”.
“The Secretary-General’s door remains open to Israeli representatives, as it is for all 192 member states and two observer states,” said UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric.
This year’s report states that in 2025, the UN verified several incidents of conflict-related sexual violence, including torture, against 14 men, seven women, nine boys, and one girl from Gaza and the West Bank.
Thirteen cases occurred in 2025, and 18 cases in 2023 and 2024.
“The violations include rape, including with objects, gang rape, attempted rape, physical violence to genitals, targeted shooting of genitals, breast and genital groping, body and cavity searches conducted without clear security justification, forced nudity, and rape threats,” Dujarric said.
Gang rape incidents
“Individual and gang rape, in some cases repeated, were committed against nine victims, mostly from Gaza,” Dujarric added.
He noted that perpetrators included Israeli armed and security forces and occurred primarily during detention and interrogation at locations including military camps, checkpoints, and during Israeli military operations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
The report also states that victims include journalists and human rights defenders, and in some cases, the violations were filmed or photographed, including one rape incident.
The report adds that sexual violence against female detainees largely involved rape threats, forced nudity, unwanted touching, and humiliating or degrading body searches without legitimate justification, while men and boys were targeted with rape, attempted rape, and violence to genitalia.