Israeli army reports rise in sexual harassment complaints

Israeli army data has revealed a rise in sexual harassment complaints within the military in 2025, Israeli media reported on Tuesday.

According to figures released by the Gender Affairs Advisor to the Chief of Staff unit, 2,420 sexual violence complaints were filed last year - around 350 more than the previous year.

The unit responsible for the welfare of female soldiers said indictments were filed in only 42 cases, while 21 incidents resulted in internal disciplinary action.

In more than 700 cases, the military held what it described as “command-level discussions”, during which alleged perpetrators were warned or reprimanded.

Meirav Ben Ari, a lawmaker from the opposition Yesh Atid party who initiated the special session in the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, said the figures were “very troubling”.

He added that the military "must use every tool at its disposal to reduce this phenomenon, prevent it as much as possible, and support the victims throughout their military service."

The Israeli army said the steady rise in complaints over the past decade reflected growing trust in the system and increased willingness among soldiers to report incidents.

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