A case involving a public official and her daughter, who has accused both her parents of sexual abuse, has led several international news outlets to criticize the Israeli government, which has so far remained silent on the matter.
“Israel claimed that Hamas committed sexual assaults against women – but now an Israeli public official is accused of the same,” wrote Iran’s state-run media outlet PressTV.
These kinds of headlines and statements have appeared in recent days across foreign media, particularly in the Arab press, following the revelation that the girl filed a police complaint against her parents, stating: “I was severely sexually assaulted.”
TRT, Turkey’s largest news outlet, added: “There is complete silence from the Israeli government, which has not addressed the ethical aspect of the case.”
In contrast to the tone in some foreign outlets that portray the allegations as already proven, Israel Police have clarified that, so far, no evidence has been found to support the girl’s claims. After taking her statement, a police source told The Jerusalem Post that “this is a complaint that involves sensitivity and complexity.”
The complaint
Israeli media, constrained by a sweeping gag order, have largely refrained from publishing details about the case. This decision follows police briefings that no supporting evidence has been found thus far.
The complainant herself released a video in which she details her allegations.
While the video has not been broadcast by official Israeli media and was aired only in part without identifying details due to privacy concerns and the lack of corroborating evidence, it has received extensive coverage abroad.
One of the most troubling aspects of the story is the attempt by some to exploit the allegations to draw comparisons with the sexual crimes committed by Hamas on October 7 – crimes that have been confirmed and documented by international organizations.
“Israel made unfounded claims that Hamas committed sexual crimes during October 7,” wrote several Arab news sites.
“And now, when there is supposed evidence that an Israeli public official committed such crimes, the Israeli government remains officially silent.”