The United Nations added Israeli and Russian armed and security forces to its annual blacklist of parties credibly suspected of committing conflict-related sexual violence, the first time either state has appeared on the list [1][9]. The report, released on 29 May 2026, documented nearly 10,000 verified cases worldwide in 2025 — more than double the prior year's figure — across 77 parties in 12 countries [9]. UN Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict Pramila Patten said the numbers represent "not the full picture, but an indication of a much broader pattern of violations that remain largely unseen and underreported" [9].
The Israel-related findings center on the treatment of Palestinian detainees. The UN verified sexual violence — including rape and gang rape — against at least 31 Palestinians held by Israeli security forces [1][4]. Patten stated she "never received an iota of information on measures taken by the government of Israel on implementation of the preventive measures," despite more than a year of written requests [1][2]. She said that when Israel did submit material, it consisted of "laws on paper" and that a handful of preliminary investigations "never reached even the level of a criminal investigation" [2]. Patten cited the Sde Teiman detention facility as an emblematic case of "total lack of accountability," noting that charges of sexual violence against soldiers there were dropped, leaving only physical assault charges [11]. The BBC reported that leaked CCTV footage from Sde Teiman showed abuse of detainees and that charges against guards were subsequently dropped [3].
Israel's UN Ambassador Danny Danon called the blacklisting "a political decision! Disconnected from the facts and reality!" and announced that Israel would sever ties with the UN Secretary-General's office [5]. Danon stated that "Israel submitted evidence, documents, and detailed responses to every claim" and that Israel had "invited the representative of the UN to come to Israel to check those ridiculous allegations. They chose not to come" [4][1]. Tagesschau reported that Danon described the decision as "eine ungeheuerliche Entscheidung" (an outrageous decision) and characterized it as part of a campaign against his country [8]. The BBC reported that Danon accused UN Secretary-General António Guterres of spreading antisemitic lies [3]. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar, who launched a defamation lawsuit against the New York Times over its reporting on Palestinian sexual abuse survivors, called that reporting "one of the most hideous and distorted lies ever published against the state of Israel in the modern press" [3].
Patten addressed the discrepancy between Israel's account and the UN's directly. She said there had been an invitation from Israel but that disagreements arose about the scope of the visit and issues of access and cooperation, and the visit was ultimately suspended due to the war in Gaza [5]. She added: "I also made it clear from the outset that access to my office will not resolve the issue" [2]. UN Secretary-General Guterres had stressed in a letter to Israel that the primary factors for listing were the immediate cessation of sexual violence and unimpeded access for UN entities [2]. UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said the Secretary-General's "door remains open to Israeli representatives, as to the other 192 member states and the two observer states" [5].
US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz stated it was "ridiculous for the UN to put a democracy like Israel — with robust rule of law that conducts investigations and holds criminals accountable — on the same level as terrorist organizations like Hamas" [5]. Iran's deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi framed Israel's diplomatic rupture differently, saying that "instead of responding to the inclusion of its affiliated entities on the UN list of sexual violence in conflict, the Israeli regime has targeted the UN Secretary-General for punishment, a sign of the same dangerous pattern: evading accountability by attacking international institutions" [7].
Russian armed and security forces were listed over 310 independently verified cases of sexual violence against Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilian detainees [6][25]. Russia's UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia dismissed the allegations as "unsubstantiated lies" [6]. Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called the listing "a crucial step on the painful road to truth and accountability" [3]. Ukraine's Permanent Representative to the UN, Melnyk, said: "The Russian army is on the UN's blacklist of shame! Finally!" and described the day as a great victory for Ukrainian diplomacy [10]. Ukrinform reported that Russia now appears on both UN lists of shame — for children's rights violations and for conflict-related sexual violence [10].
The Guardian reported that the sexual violence documented against both Palestinian and Ukrainian detainees overwhelmingly targeted men, a departure from the worldwide pattern in which women and girls constitute the vast majority of victims [4][25]. The same outlet reported that far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir caused a separate diplomatic incident by publishing footage of Israeli security forces abusing international activists detained while trying to sail to Gaza with aid [4].
Patten attributed the global surge in verified cases to "a record number of extremely violent conflicts" and "the fact that perpetrators are feeling emboldened by a context of impunity, where this crime is almost cost-free" [1]. Le Monde provided legal analysis situating the listing within broader UN practice on sanctions, monitoring, and international accountability mechanisms [15]. Reuters reported that the blacklist carries potential consequences including Security Council scrutiny and arms-transfer conditionality under the Geneva Conventions and Rome Statute [16].
No Palestinian victims, survivors, or Palestinian civil society organizations were quoted in any of the reviewed reporting, despite Palestinians being the primary subjects of the Israel-related allegations. No Ukrainian survivors of sexual violence were quoted either; the Ukrainian perspective was represented solely by government officials. Israel has indicated it will wait for a new UN Secretary-General before resuming contact with that office [5]. The UN said it learned of Israel's decision from social media and remains ready for talks at any time [8].