United Nations Blacklists Israeli and Russian Forces for Conflict-Related Sexual Violence in 2026

Key Facts

• On 28-29 May 2026, the United Nations included Israeli and Russian armed and security forces in its annual blacklist for conflict-related sexual violence.
• The 2025 report had listed 77 government and non-government parties across about a dozen countries.
• This is the first time Israel has been blacklisted since the UN Secretary-General began publishing the report more than 15 years ago.
• Israel's inclusion was due to documented patterns of sexual violence against Palestinian detainees in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories from 2023 to 2025, including rape with objects, gang rape, physical violence to genitals, forced nudity, and abusive strip searches.
• Verified victims of Israeli-related abuses included 14 men, 7 women, 9 boys, and 1 girl from Gaza and the West Bank.
• Russian armed and security forces were blacklisted for sexual violence against prisoners of war and detained civilians during the ongoing war in Ukraine, with 310 verified cases, mostly male victims.
• The UN report noted continued denial of access to UN investigators by authorities in both Israel and Russia during efforts to document abuses.
• United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres had warned both Israel and Russia in the previous report about possible inclusion on the blacklist.
• Following the listing, Israel denied the allegations and announced that it would cease cooperation with the UN Secretary-General’s office from 28 May 2026.

Background & Context

The United Nations Secretary-General annually publishes a report on conflict-related sexual violence. This report identifies parties credibly suspected of patterns of rape, sexual slavery, forced nudity, genital violence, and other sexual abuses during armed conflict. The annual blacklist is part of this report.

The 2025 report included 77 government and non-government parties across multiple countries. It also listed Hamas militants after their attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, documenting sexual violence committed by the group against captured hostages.

The inclusion of Israeli armed and security forces in 2026 marks a significant development, as it is the first time Israel is blacklisted in the report’s history. The documented abuses primarily relate to sexual violence against Palestinian detainees.

Russian forces have been documented committing sexual violence against prisoners of war and detained civilians during the Russia-Ukraine conflict, leading to their 2026 inclusion on the blacklist. Access restrictions hindered UN investigations in both countries.

Why This Matters for Exams / Exam Relevance

This development is essential for understanding the international community’s mechanisms for addressing sexual violence as a weapon of war. It highlights how the United Nations monitors and holds accountable state and non-state actors for grave human rights violations in conflict zones.

The case studies of Israel-Palestine and Russia-Ukraine conflicts provide contemporary examples of sexual violence used strategically in modern warfare and detainee mistreatment. Awareness of such issues is highly relevant for syllabi focused on international relations, human rights law, and current affairs in competitive exams.

Points to Remember

• The UN Secretary-General publishes an annual report on conflict-related sexual violence identifying responsible parties.
• Israel was blacklisted for the first time in 2026 for documented sexual abuses against Palestinian detainees from 2023 to 2025.
• Russia was blacklisted in 2026 for verified sexual violence against prisoners of war and detained civilians during the Ukraine war.
• Both Israel and Russia denied the allegations and restricted UN investigators’ access.
• Following Israel's inclusion, it ceased cooperation with the UN office of the Secretary-General starting 28 May 2026.
• Hamas militants were included in the 2025 blacklist for sexual violence committed during their October 2023 attack on Israel and captivity of hostages.
• The UN verified over 4,600 cases of conflict-related sexual violence in 2024, marking a 25% increase over 2023, with women and children disproportionately affected.