Israel Accused of Torturing Palestinians in Custody, UN Demands Immediate Release
A recent report from the United Nations Human Rights Office has brought to light alarming allegations of abuse against Palestinians detained by Israel amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Released on Tuesday, the 23-page report is based on interviews with detainees who have been released, as well as other victims and witnesses.
According to the report, thousands of Palestinians have been forcibly removed from Gaza since the war began on October 7- often from bomb shelters – and taken to detention centers in Israel. Many were apprehended at checkpoints or while sheltering in schools and hospitals as they fled Israel’s military offensive. These individuals were frequently blindfolded, shackled, and transported to military centers described as “cage-like,” where they were forced to endure prolonged periods wearing nothing but diapers.
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The report cites 53 detainees who died while in custody and documents severe mistreatment, including waterboarding and attacks by dogs, which constitute a “flagrant violation of international human rights law and international humanitarian law,” stated Volker Turk, the United Nations High Commissioner. He has called for the immediate release of these detainees and the remaining hostages taken during the October 7 attacks, which resulted in 1,200 deaths.
While the Israeli military has acknowledged it is investigating these allegations, it has not commented on specific cases. Plans are underway to phase out the Sde Teiman camp in the Negev desert, identified in the UN report and by Palestinian rights groups as a location of detainee abuse. This comes after Military Police investigators conducted a raid on the facility on Monday, aiming to arrest soldiers suspected of severe sexual abuse against a Palestinian detainee.
