The Military Prosecution has filed an indictment with the Southern Regional Military Court against an Israel Defense Forces sergeant, accusing her of aggravated abuse and improper conduct.
According to the indictment, the incident took place at a base in southern Israel during the night and involved physical and psychological abuse of two female corporals. The alleged assault began after the two soldiers touched the sergeant’s dog tag cover.
The prosecution alleges that at around 2:00 a.m., the sergeant woke the soldiers from their room and led them to the base restrooms. After ensuring there were no witnesses present, she separated the two to opposite sides of the room.
The indictment further claims that the sergeant struck one of the soldiers with a weapon handle and a lanyard, then ordered the two to switch places and continued beating the second. During the incident, one of the soldiers was allegedly forced to sing unit songs loudly while the other was being struck.
According to the indictment, the sergeant told the soldiers, “The harder you sing, the less it will hurt," adding that if they did not sing loudly enough, the blows would intensify. The incident reportedly lasted at least 15 minutes and left both soldiers with bruises and injuries to their backs and thighs.
Prosecutors allege that the incident was not isolated, but part of a broader pattern of abusive behavior that began after the soldiers transferred from basic training to the battalion last November.
In a statement, the IDF confirmed that an indictment had been filed against the sergeant for aggravated abuse and improper conduct. The military court accepted the prosecution’s request to extend her detention, at this stage until February 26. With the consent of both sides, a mediation process is expected to take place.
The IDF added that immediately following the incident, the battalion commander convened all soldiers for a command briefing, during which the boundaries between permissible and prohibited conduct were clarified and the army’s values and expected norms of behavior were reinforced.
“The IDF views acts of abuse wherever they occur with great severity, as they are contrary to the law and constitute a serious breach of IDF values," the statement concluded. “The IDF will act to bring to justice any soldier or commander found to be involved in such acts."