Honenu Attorneys Rom (L) and Keidar (R); Photo credit: Honenu
Thursday, February 20, 2025, 12:32 In July 2024, ten combat soldiers from IDF Unit 100 were detained at the Sde Teiman military base on suspicion of assaulting a Nukhba terrorist prisoner who took part in the Simhat Torah massacre (October 7). Five of them have been released without charge. After six months of legal persecution, the Military Advocate General indicted the other five yesterday (Wednesday). The military court also extended the restrictions imposed on the five indicted soldiers. They are prohibited from leaving Israel until the end of proceedings unless they receive authorization from the court.
The soldiers, who were guarding murderous Hamas terrorists, were instructed to conduct a body search on the Nukhba terrorist. The terrorist, who had served as a terrorist company commander in Jabalia, attacked the soldiers during the search. Honenu Attorneys Adi Keidar, Nati Rom, and Moshe Poleski are representing two of the indicted soldiers. The attorneys each issued a statement.
Attorney Keidar: “We are preparing to refute the baseless indictment and wage a concerted legal battle until the soldiers are completely acquitted.”
Attorney Rom: “Today, as we were exposed to more gruesome details of the incomprehensible cruelty inflicted by the terrorist and his cohorts on innocent Israelis, the military court lent further support to the worst of our enemies.”
Honenu Attorney Poleski; Photo credit: Honenu
Attorney Poleski: “On a day that we are mourning over receiving the bodies of four Israeli citizens, an elderly man, a young mother, and her two sons, a toddler and a baby, who were held hostage by Hamas terrorists, the Military Advocate General is requesting an extension of the restrictions imposed on five IDF soldiers who were indicted only yesterday. The soldiers were indicted for an unusual incident during which they struggled with an imprisoned ‘senior terrorist’ who resisted a search. The terrorist was suspected of smuggling forbidden objects with the intent to injure IDF soldiers. The indicted soldiers acted under orders from the commander of the facility to carry out the operations in the presence of prisoners at the facility.
“It is inconceivable and inexplicable that we have reached a situation in which instead of devoting all resources to fighting Hamas, the Military Advocate General is investing vast resources in persecuting soldiers who left their families for a long time and volunteered for the unbearable task of guarding vile murderers. This conduct indicates to the public who is on our side, and who is not. Some people are still wondering how the goals of the war have not yet been achieved, including eradicating Hamas. The Military Advocate General accepted the testimony of a vile terrorist and refused those of IDF soldiers. We are in a dire situation.”
In July 2024, ten combat soldiers from Unit 100 were detained at the Sde Teiman military base on suspicion of assaulting a Nukhba terrorist prisoner who took part in the Simhat Torah massacre (October 7). Five of the soldiers were released within a month. The remaining five soldiers were held in remand for over a month, and after their release were placed under nighttime house arrest. In September 2024 they were allowed to return to work, and in November 2024 they were released from nighttime house arrest.
In light of the media leak in the case, the Beit Lid Military Court of Appeals ruled that, “The Military Advocate General is required to promptly reply to the question of how investigative material reached the news media, in light of the claims of possible damage to the integrity of the investigation.”
Attorney Rom wrote a letter to the Attorney General demanding that she order an investigation into the leak and put those responsible for it on trial. The Attorney General replied that she had transferred the handling of the investigation to the IDF.
Following the last house arrest extension, the Honenu Attorneys Rom and Keidar requested to receive the investigative material in the case from the military prosecution.
Please click here for a description by the detained Sde Teiman soldiers of the incident.
Please click here for a statement from Hila, the wife of one of the soldiers detained at the Sde Teiman military base on suspicion of assaulting a Nukhba terrorist, who leveled sharp criticism at the Military Advocate General over his detention.
On July 30, the court ignored the soldiers’ concerned families and held a hearing in their absence.
Initially, Honenu Attorneys Rom and Keidar were prevented on various pretexts from meeting with the detainees and granting them legal counsel.