The United Nations has reportedly decided to include Israeli entities in its blacklist of parties accused of committing sexual violence in conflict zones, a list that already features Hamas and other militant groups. This information was exclusively reported by The Jerusalem Post on Wednesday night.
According to the report, the Israeli Prison Service is set to appear on the 2026 list, alongside additional Israeli authorities that have been placed under a monitoring framework for possible future inclusion.
Under UN procedures, any country or armed group listed by the Secretary-General remains on the blacklist for at least one year. Hamas was added to the list in August 2025 following findings by Pramila Patten, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict. Her report concluded there were reasonable grounds to believe Hamas carried out acts of rape and sexual violence during the October 7 attacks and during the captivity of hostages in Gaza.
Israeli officials argue that after Hamas was included, significant international pressure was applied on the UN Secretary-General to also add Israel to the list. In August 2025, UN Secretary-General António Guterres had already warned Israel of potential inclusion, citing serious concerns over alleged patterns of abuse—allegations that Israel has strongly denied.
Over the past year, Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon and his team held multiple meetings with representatives of the Secretary-General. Israel submitted detailed documents, data, and responses addressing the accusations and also invited UN officials to visit the country and examine the sites in question firsthand.
Despite these efforts and submissions, the UN Secretary-General ultimately decided to proceed with including Israel in the blacklist.
The move is expected to intensify diplomatic tensions between Israel and the United Nations, while also drawing global attention to accountability mechanisms in conflict zones. Analysts say the decision could influence future international investigations and human rights monitoring efforts.
