Israel escalates torture of Palestinian prisoners since Oct 2023: Report

Tel Aviv: Israel has sharply escalated its use of torture, starvation and severe abuses against Palestinian detainees since the Gaza war began on October 7, 2023.

These findings were detailed in a report submitted by Israeli human rights organisations to the UN Committee Against Torture, as reported by Haaretz.

Widespread abuse and arbitrary detention

The submission — prepared by Adalah, the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel (PCATI), Parents Against Child Detention, HaMoked and Physicians for Human Rights–Israel (PHRI) — said Israel has dismantled safeguards that once protected detainees.

According to the report, torture and ill-treatment occur from the point of arrest through to imprisonment, with minimal judicial intervention.

Key concerns outlined in the report include:

• Extensive use of the classification “unlawful combatant”, not recognised under international law
• More than 4,000 Palestinians from Gaza detained under this designation
• A sharp rise in administrative detention, increasing from 1,100 before the war to 3,500 by September 2025
• Significantly longer periods of detention without trial

Degrading conditions and denial of basic needs

The report described detainees being held in outdoor pens exposed to extreme weather, kept blindfolded and shackled, and forced to sleep on the ground without bedding. Toilet access was restricted, leaving many dependent on diapers. Medical care, when provided, was often administered while detainees were restrained.

Food deprivation was widespread. Prisoners reportedly received:

• No more than 1,000 calories a day
• Just 40 grams of protein
• Expired or spoiled food

These conditions led to severe weight loss, with some detainees losing nearly half their body weight.

Physical torture, sensory abuse and deaths in custody

The report documented multiple forms of torture, including:

• Beatings with batons
• Burns from boiling water
• Dog attacks
• Painful restraint positions
• Exposure to freezing temperatures
• Confinement in the “Disco Room” with deafening music

At least 94 detainees have died in custody since October 2023, including three during Shin Bet interrogations. Although torture complaints increased to 238 in the past two years, none resulted in indictments.

Military and prison investigations were described as ineffective:

• The army opened 58 inquiries, including 44 related to deaths, but only two led to charges
• The Prison Service opened 36 investigations, resulting in six indictments, none involving deaths or sexual violence
• Most petitions submitted to Israel’s Supreme Court seeking improved conditions were rejected.

Thousands remain incarcerated

More than 10,000 Palestinians, including women and children, remain in Israeli prisons. The report said hundreds of detainees from Gaza remain unaccounted for.

PCHR warns of escalating sexual violence in detention

The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) has released a new report highlighting a sharp rise in sexual violence and targeted humiliation inside Israeli detention facilities, based on testimonies from recently freed detainees.

According to PCHR, many of the latest cases involve:

• Women and minors held incommunicado
• Detainees subjected to sexualised threats and coercion
• Attempts to extract confessions through gender-based intimidation
• Deliberate humiliation techniques designed to break detainees psychologically

According to PCHR, international monitoring bodies — including the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) — have been denied access to many detention sites, leaving detainees without protection.

The organisation warned that “thousands of Palestinian detainees face the risk of certain death” and called for:

• The release of arbitrarily detained prisoners
• Clarification of the fate of forcibly disappeared detainees
• Immediate, unrestricted ICRC access to all detention facilities

Death penalty bill heightens concern

The Israeli Knesset has approved, in a preliminary reading, a bill introducing the death penalty for individuals convicted of “terrorism”. The vote passed with 39 in favour and 16 against, according to public broadcaster KAN. Rights groups warn the measure could increase risks for detainees already facing harsh treatment.