The scandal surrounding the leaking of security camera footage from the Sde Teiman military detention facility by former Israel Defense Forces military advocate general Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi has roiled the country for days.
Tomer-Yerushalmi admitted last week to leaking the video, which purportedly showed the severe assault and abuse of a Palestinian security detainee by IDF reservists at Sde Teiman in 2024, in an effort to counter right-wing allegations that she was unfairly victimizing soldiers in a time of war.
The affair has generated a clash between the justice minister and the attorney general that is threatening to escalate into a constitutional crisis, spawned outrage and condemnation against the legal system from right-wing politicians, and led to calls to cancel the indictments against the suspects.
The former military advocate general is now suspected of obstruction of justice, fraud and breach of trust, and abuse of office.
Below is a timeline of the major events and developments in the unfolding scandal.
July 5, 2024
A Palestinian security detainee being held at the Sde Teiman military detention facility north of Beersheba is hospitalized with broken ribs and a tear in the wall of his rectum, after having allegedly been beaten and assaulted by IDF reservists in “Force 100,” a Military Police reserve unit tasked with guarding terror suspects at the base.
July 29, 2024
Following an investigation by the Military Police investigative unit, nine reservist soldiers suspected of involvement in the beating of the detainee are arrested by masked military police on the Sde Teiman base, and another suspect is arrested at his home a day later.
The arrests prompt outrage among right-wing politicians and activists, and a mob breaks into Sde Teiman in an apparent effort to prevent the arrests. The rioters are joined by Heritage Minister Amichay Eliyahu of the far-right Otzma Yehudit party, as well as MKs Tzvi Succot of the far-right Religious Zionism party and Nissim Vaturi of Likud.
Hundreds of far-right activists subsequently descend on the Beit Lid military camp south of Netanya, home to a military court where the suspects were taken, with dozens breaking into the base and the courthouse itself and physically tussling with IDF personnel inside.
The arrests follow numerous reports by Israeli and foreign media and civil rights groups of widespread and severe abuse of the Palestinian detainees by military personnel at Sde Teiman.
July 29 to August 6, 2024
Right-wing politicians, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, strongly criticize IDF Military Advocate General Maj. Gen. Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi over the arrest of the soldiers.
Netanyahu reportedly accuses her of “selective enforcement,” while far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir issues a public video telling her to “take your hands off” the soldiers.
August 6, 2024
Channel 12 news reporter Guy Peleg comprising several clips from security cameras at Sde Teiman purporting to show footage of the incident on July 5 when the Palestinian detainee was assaulted.
חשיפה של כתב המשפט של חדשות 12, גיא פלג, הערב ב"מהדורה המרכזית": כך תועדו החשודים בפרשת שדה תימן | במצ"ח ממשיכים לחקור את החיילים שנעצרו בחשד להתעללות במחבל חמאס, והערב פורסם התיעוד שעומד במרכז החקירה • כפי שניתן לראות בתיעוד ממצלמות האבטחה במקום, המחבל נלקח הצידה בידי לוחמי כוח…
— שאולי????️????️???? ShAuLi (@Shaulirena) August 6, 2024
Peleg reports that the video shows footage of the soldiers sodomizing the detainee and that the injuries to his rectum were caused by this crime. The indictment filed in February 2025 does not, however, charge the soldiers with rape, and notes that the detainee was injured after being stabbed in the buttocks close to the rectum with a sharp object.
September 12, 2024
A forum of bereaved families called Baharnu B’Hayim (Choosing Life) files a petition to the High Court of Justice against the attorney general and the military advocate general, requesting that it order the opening of a criminal investigation into the leak of the security camera footage from Sde Teiman. It notes that the video was confidential and constituted evidence in the criminal investigation against the 10 soldiers suspected of abusing the detainee, the publication of which was therefore prohibited.
The petitioners argue that the investigation into the abuse of the detainee is being conducted by military police in collaboration with the military advocate general’s office at the time the video was leaked, and says that those agencies are therefore suspects in the leak and cannot carry out the investigation.
January 17, 2025
The Attorney General’s Office files a response on behalf of the military advocate general’s office, stating that Deputy State Attorney Alon Altman will oversee an internal investigation into the leak.
Deputy Military Advocate General Col. Gal Asael was the delegated official from the Military Advocate General’s Office assigned to the investigation.
February 2, 2025
The High Court dismisses the petition, ruling that it is no longer relevant in light of the internal investigation.
February 19, 2025
Five of the IDF reservists arrested on suspicion of involvement in the abuse are indicted on charges of causing severe injury and assault under aggravated circumstances.
August 13, 2025
Baharnu B’Hayim files another petition to the High Court, Attorney General General Gali Baharav-Miara and the military advocate general requesting that the Shin Bet be tasked with opening a criminal investigation into the leak.
September 16, 2025
The Attorney General’s Office, responding for the attorney general and the military advocate general, files their response, stating that after “many investigative actions” made during the internal investigation, it is the opinion of the investigators and the deputy state attorney that “the investigation was exhausted” and that “no further investigative actions” are needed.
The response further states that, on the basis of the findings of the internal investigation, “there is no basis for further criminal proceedings” regarding the leak, adding that “there are no concrete investigative actions that can be carried out that have real potential for advancing the criminal investigation.” In the wake of Tomer-Yerushalmi’s admission on October 31 that she leaked the video, coalition MKs and other critics have alleged that this response constituted a fraudulent declaration to the High Court, a criminal offense.
MK Avichai Buaron of Likud has also alleged that the details in the submission to the court reveal an effort to cover up the leak.
October 29, 2025
At the direction of Baharav-Miara, the police open a criminal investigation into the leak, and Tomer-Yerushalmi takes a leave of absence because the investigation focuses on the suspicion that she was the source of it.
The investigation is prompted by a routine lie detector test administered by the Shin Bet to an officer in the Military Advocate General’s office, reportedly the unit’s spokesperson.
The spokesperson told the Shin Bet during the test that Tomer-Yerushalmi had instructed her directly to pass the video to Channel 12 reporter Peleg.
The Shin Bet gave the information to IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, who then relayed it to Baharav-Miara, prompting her to launch the investigation.
October 31, 2025
Tomer-Yerushalmi announces her resignation and admits that she had approved the leak of the surveillance video from Sde Teiman.
She writes in her resignation letter to Zamir that she approved the leak “in an attempt to counter the false propaganda directed against the military law enforcement authorities,” and adds that “I bear full responsibility for any material that was released to the media from within the unit.”
November 1-2, 2025
Justice Minister Yariv Levin tells Baharav-Miara that due to her connection to the internal investigation, she cannot be involved in the legal proceedings against Tomer-Yerushalmi, and that he will appoint another public official to handle the investigation. Baharav-Miara rejects Levin’s order, saying he has no authority to take such measures, that his allegations against her are baseless, and that her office will continue to handle the matter.
MK Buaron files a petition to the High Court asking that it order Baharav-Miara to refrain from involvement in the case.
November 2, 2025
Tomer-Yerushalmi goes missing for several hours and is unreachable by phone, prompting a massive search involving police, rescue forces, and the military, before she is ultimately found alive and well.
She is arrested by police ahead of a remand hearing, together with former chief military prosecutor Col. Matan Solomosh, who is suspected of helping her cover up the affair.
Police subsequently suspect that Tomer-Yerushalmi disposed of her phone in the sea while she was missing, an act that could expose her to a charge of obstruction of justice.
Tomer-Yerushalmi left what appeared to be a suicide note before going missing, although Hebrew media reports that police suspect she had no intention of committing suicide, and that the entire saga was staged in order for her to get rid of her phone, which may have incriminating information on it.
November 3, 2025
Tomer-Yerushalmi is arraigned before the Tel Aviv Magistrate’s Court on suspicion of obstruction of justice, fraud and breach of trust, and abuse of office.
Her remand is extended by three days due to concerns over further possible efforts to obstruct justice.
Solomosh, who is suspected of similar offenses to Tomer-Yerushalmi, has his detention extended for another three days as well, for the same reason.
The Military Advocate General’s Office tells the lawyers of the defendants accused of beating and abusing the Palestinian security detainee that the detainee himself was released back to Gaza on October 13 as part of the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.
