Opinion columnist Nicholas Kristof reports that sexual violence against Palestinians in Israeli detention facilities and during settler attacks is widespread, citing first-hand accounts, legal testimony and a 2025 United Nations report. He argues that abuse has intensified in recent years and describes a pattern of systemic mistreatment enabled by what he calls unrestrained power within the security apparatus.

Kristof recounts interviews with Palestinian detainees and civilians who describe being stripped, beaten and sexually assaulted by prison guards and settlers. Some allegations include rape with objects, genital abuse, and humiliation during detention, with claims supported by lawyers, photographs and multiple testimonies.

While Israeli leaders have rejected accusations of sexual violence as baseless, Kristof contends that the international community has failed to respond with the same outrage shown after the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks on Israelis. He calls for greater accountability, restoration of independent prison monitoring visits and the use of United States leverage to press for an end to impunity.