Tel Aviv, November 3, 2025 —
A major scandal has erupted within the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) as Israel’s top military legal officer, Major General Eyal Ben-Shahar, resigned late Sunday night after reports emerged that he had approved the release of a controversial video allegedly depicting the mistreatment of Palestinian detainees during the ongoing Gaza operations.
The leaked footage, which has been circulating on encrypted social media channels since last week, shows uniformed IDF soldiers apparently restraining and verbally assaulting detainees in an undisclosed facility in southern Gaza. The video sparked outrage both domestically and internationally, with human rights organizations calling for an independent inquiry.
Resignation Confirmed by Defense Ministry
In a brief statement released early Monday, Israel’s Defense Ministry confirmed Ben-Shahar’s resignation, citing “personal reasons” but acknowledging that the decision followed an “internal review of operational communications protocols.”
“Major General Ben-Shahar tendered his resignation effective immediately,” the statement read. “The IDF continues to uphold the highest standards of legal and ethical accountability in all military operations.”
However, multiple Israeli media outlets, including Haaretz and Ynet, reported that Ben-Shahar’s departure came after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant privately expressed anger over the “serious lapse in judgment” that allowed the video to surface publicly.
Public and Political Fallout
Opposition leader Yair Lapid called the incident “a disgrace that stains Israel’s image at a time when every action is under global magnification.”
“The world is watching,” Lapid said in a televised interview. “We cannot afford moral errors in a war that already challenges Israel’s legitimacy.”
Meanwhile, the United Nations Human Rights Council announced that it had requested clarification from the Israeli government regarding the incident and any ongoing internal investigations. Amnesty International also urged for “complete transparency and accountability,” adding that the video “appears to show violations of international humanitarian law.”
Ben-Shahar’s Legacy and Controversial Tenure
Major General Ben-Shahar, 54, had served as the IDF’s Chief Military Advocate General since 2022. Known for his assertive defense of Israel’s legal framework in wartime operations, he frequently argued that the IDF “operates under strict legal oversight unparalleled in conflict zones.”
Yet, critics had accused his office of rubber-stamping aggressive tactics in Gaza and the West Bank. His resignation marks the first high-profile legal departure from the IDF since the onset of the 2025 Gaza campaign, which has now entered its fifth month.
According to insiders quoted by The Jerusalem Post, several senior officers warned Ben-Shahar that releasing the video — even internally for “educational purposes” — could have “unintended reputational damage.” Within days, the footage leaked externally, reportedly through a soldier’s private cloud storage.
International Reaction
The United States, a key ally of Israel, issued a cautious response through the State Department.
“We are aware of reports concerning the resignation of Israel’s military legal chief,” spokesperson Matthew Miller said. “We expect full adherence to international law and a transparent review process.”
European Union officials echoed the call, with the EU’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell stating that “Israel must demonstrate its commitment to lawful conduct in war, especially when civilian rights are at stake.”
The Palestinian Authority’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the episode as evidence of “a systemic culture of impunity,” demanding an international investigation under UN supervision.
Analysts: A Turning Point for IDF Accountability
Military analysts in Israel described the resignation as a rare but symbolic act of accountability, reflecting mounting pressure on the IDF’s legal and operational arms amid intensifying global scrutiny.
“Ben-Shahar’s exit signals internal disagreement over how far Israel can push the limits of wartime conduct without losing international legitimacy,” said Dr. Hila Koren, a defense ethics scholar at Hebrew University.
“It could trigger a wider reassessment of Israel’s rules of engagement in Gaza.”
The scandal also arrives as Israel faces mounting legal challenges at The Hague, where several NGOs have submitted complaints alleging violations of the Geneva Conventions during recent IDF operations.
Bottom Line
The resignation of Major General Eyal Ben-Shahar adds a new layer of complexity to Israel’s ongoing Gaza campaign, placing military ethics and transparency at the forefront of global debate.
For Israel, the challenge now is not only to win the war on the ground but also to preserve credibility in the court of international opinion.
