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Israel is blocking a UN probe investigating accusations of sexual assault allegedly committed by Hamas on 7 October in case it leads to an inquiry into abuse of Palestinians in Israeli detention.

According to Haaretz, the investigation has been blocked due to concerns it would require access to put Israeli sexual assaults against Palestinians under scrutiny.

The UN's Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Pramila Patten, stipulated she would investigate Hamas's alleged crimes if she was also granted access to Israeli detention facilities, where reports of abuse against Palestinian detainees had emerged.

This follows multiple reports from rights groups and the UN detailing harrowing testimonies of abuse, starvation, sexual assaults and dire conditions detained Palestinians face in Israeli jails.

Patten previously urged Israel to sign an agreement with her office to take measures against sexual violence, amidst Israel’s ongoing war on the besieged enclave.

If Patten's investigation was allowed by Israel and found evidence of Hamas committing sexual crimes, it could have resulted in the Palestinian group being added to the UN’s blacklist of entities suspected of sexual violence in conflict zones.

Patten also said that many armed groups took part in the 7 October attack, and in order to attribute sexual violence to a specific group would demand greater access and time to investigate.

She penned a letter to the Israeli government recommending it to grant UN bodies access to be able to perform their work properly.

Rights groups and Israeli activists have criticised Israel’s lack of cooperation with the UN.

Earlier this week, Israeli authorities confessed that no rape or sexual assault allegations were filed from the 7 October attack, despite investigations carried out.Ìý

Speaking to Israeli news site Ynet, Israel's former lead prosecutor for the Southern District Prosecutor's Office said there was no evidence of sexual violence found.

Testimonies of abuse of Palestinian detainees

A UN event in October 2024 saw Palestinian survivors give their testimonies of sexual abuse in Israeli prisons.

Israel's notorious Sde Teiman detention centre has been repeatedly highlighted by Israeli and Palestinian rights groups for its widespread use of torture, and the alarming conditions Palestinians are being kept in.

In August, a leaked video shared in the Israeli press from Sde Teiman purportedly showed Israeli soldiers sexually assaulting a Palestinian man. After several soldiers were arrested over the incident, Israeli political and religious figures attempted to defend the use of sexual assault against Palestinians.

An investigation by US media outlet CNN found that men were being put in stress positions, having limbs amputated and forced to wear diapers.

In August, a leaked video shared in the Israeli press from Sde Teiman purportedly showed Israeli soldiers sexually assaulting a Palestinian man. After several soldiers were arrested over the incident, Israeli political and religiousÌýfiguresÌýattempted to defend the use of sexual assault against Palestinians.

Both Palestinian authorities and human rights campaigners have for months been calling on the international community to intervene over reports of Palestinians being abused in Israeli prisons.