UN hears testimony on torture, abuse of Palestinian detainees by Israeli authorities
Majority from Gaza reportedly being held in secret camps including Anatot, Sde Teiman, according to Palestinian Return Centre
Some of the released Palestinians appear weak and have scars on their bodies as Israeli army released 50 Palestinians after more than seven months of detention following a military operation, on July 01, 2024.
ISTANBUL
The UN has received testimony alleging widespread torture and abuse of Palestinian detainees by Israeli authorities since Oct. 7, 2023, with mounting calls for an independent international investigation.
The submission was made by the Palestinian Return Centre (PRC), a UK-based organization that holds special consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council, according to The National.
The testimony was based on documentation by Khaled Mahajneh, a lawyer affiliated with the Palestinian Authority’s Commission for Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs. The PRC said the cases reflect a sharp escalation in what it described as systematic torture and mistreatment.
According to the group, the methods reported include severe physical beatings, deliberate starvation, prolonged suspension in painful positions, medical neglect resulting in deaths, dog attacks, and amputations carried out without anesthesia.
The PRC also cited a documented case of rape by an Israeli prison guard against a Palestinian detainee inside a detention facility. It said the accounts have been corroborated by internationally recognized human rights organizations including Physicians for Human Rights–Israel and B’Tselem.
Most detainees from Gaza are reportedly being held in undisclosed military facilities, including Anatot and Sde Teiman camps. The PRC said these sites operate without legal oversight, and that detainees are being denied access to lawyers and barred from visits by the International Committee of the Red Cross.
The organization accused Israeli authorities of applying politically motivated labels such as “unlawful combatants” and “terrorists” to bypass international humanitarian protections. It called for the immediate establishment of an independent international inquiry into the alleged torture and sexual violence, and urged that these cases be included in the files under review by the International Criminal Court.
The PRC further appealed to the international community to pressure Israel to meet basic international standards for the treatment of prisoners. It warned that silence or symbolic condemnation “amounts to political complicity” in continued violations.
