The New York Times released a statement late Wednesday endorsing Nicholas Kristof's provocative opinion piece from Monday, which leveled charges of severe sexual mistreatment against Palestinians held in Israeli detention facilities.

The statement highlighted that Kristof "compiles on-the-record testimonies and references multiple studies outlining sexual violence and mistreatment by elements of Israel's security apparatus and settlers."

The publication emphasized that the "thoroughly researched opinion article opens by appealing to readers: 'Regardless of our positions on the Middle East conflict, we can agree to denounce rape.'"

"Interviews with 14 men and women were verified through other witnesses where feasible, as well as with confidants such as relatives and attorneys," the NYT explained.

"Specifics underwent rigorous fact-checking, cross-checked against journalistic reports, human rights research, polls, and even UN evidence in one instance," the statement continued.

"Assertions were reviewed by independent specialists during both reporting and verification stages," it wrapped up.

Israel Condemns New York Times Piece on Palestinian Detainee Abuse, Overlooks October 7 Atrocities

Israel's Foreign Ministry criticized the op-ed's publication timing on Tuesday, noting the NYT's choice to skip coverage of Israel's Civil Commission report on Hamas's widespread brutality from and after the October 7 attacks.

"Knowing about the report and its impending release the previous evening, the NYT launched a disgraceful assault on Israel, downplaying Hamas's sexual offenses. This reveals the outlet's clear bias," the ministry posted on X, formerly Twitter.

In an earlier Monday post on X, the ministry branded the column "one of the most egregious blood libels in contemporary media."

"Through a torrent of unfounded falsehoods, propagandist Nicholas Kristof flips reality, casting the victim as perpetrator," the statement read.

Critics from Israeli and Palestinian circles have questioned the reliability of Kristof's sources, citing potential prejudice and factual shortcomings.

Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, a Gaza-raised activist opposing Hamas, posted on X that although he accepts instances of sexual abuse in Israeli jails, "certain referenced groups and figures, like Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor and Shaiel Ben Ephraim, carry dubious histories in reliability, behavior, and affiliations."

"These are unreliable sources, despite additional ones in the piece. Numerous Palestinian accounts remained anonymous owing to stigma and reprisal fears over alleging sexual torture, hindering checks yet not inherently disproving them," Alkhatib noted.

Jerusalem's NGO Monitor probed connections between the prominently featured "Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor" and Hamas militants.

The group released images of founder Ramy Abdu at a 2013 event with Hamas figure Osama Hamdan.

Israel has named Abdu among Hamas's "key agents and entities in Europe," according to NGO Monitor.

He once claimed Israel harbors "an unquenchable thirst for Palestinian children's blood," the watchdog reported.

Photos from 2011 show Abdu and former Euro-Med chair Mazen Awni Issa Kahel with Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.

NGO Monitor faulted Save the Children too, pointing out the op-ed's mention of minors aged "12 to 17 at detention." If true, these youths were probably child combatants trained by Hamas and other militants for assaults, the group argued.

The op-ed praised the Committee to Protect Journalists as "a esteemed U.S. body," but NGO Monitor accused it of whitewashing militants as reporters and retracting entries for killed terrorists from its Gaza journalist casualty list.