Protests disrupt High Court hearing on Sde Teiman detention center abuse allegations

Protesters disrupted Wednesday a hearing in the High Court of Justice on the Sde Teiman detention center where Palestinians captured during the Israel-Hamas war are being held.

The hearing followed a petition by The Association for Civil Rights in Israel demanding the center, which has come under public scrutiny following allegations of abuse and torture of detainees, be closed.

In a statement in April, ACRI said detainees released from the site described being held on their knees in crowded cages, handcuffed at all hours of the day, blindfolded, and subjected to a variety of humiliating treatment in blatant violation of legal obligations towards detainees.

"The hearing in the high court this morning is absurd and a gift to [Hamas leader Yahya] Sinwar and murderers," said protest organization Guarding the Soldiers - a new organization formed as part of protests against the arrests of nine IDF soldiers suspected of abusing a Sde Teiman detainee.

"The fact that a hearing is being held on improved conditions for Nukhba terrorists who murdered, raped, and took our children captive is an indelible stain on the court and Israeli justice system."

"We cannot let this situation continue," the organization added, calling to release the soldiers held on suspicion of abuse and to cancel the high court hearing.

Judge defends legal process

The protesters caused a disruption that forced the hearing to be paused. When the hearing was resumed, only the public who did not disrupt it was allowed to remain in the chamber. The hearing was streamed online so the entire public could still observe.

"The court in Israel continues to operate in accordance with the law during war and will continue to do so," said deputy president of the court, Judge Uzi Vogelman, after the break.

"We are aware of the sensitivity of this hearing and the great sensitivity of some of the participants. This is not the first hearing on topics related to situations arising in the war."

"Whoever is following the hearings knows that the court exercises maximum allowance [to let the public take part], but the limit of allowance is an attempt to blow up a court hearing," he added.

Protesters also gathered earlier this week outside an IDF court hearing for eight of the soldiers suspected of abuse. Following the hearing, three soldiers were released, while five arrests were extended to enable further investigation.

This protest followed protests during the initial arrest of the nine soldiers, which ended with protesters and public officials breaking into the military bases of Sde Teiman and Beit Lid. Some violently confronted IDF soldiers during these protests.

Reuters contributed to this report.