UN receives allegations on torture, abuse of Palestinian inmates by Israeli authorities

(MENAFN) The United Nations has received testimonies accusing Israeli authorities of widespread torture and abuse of Palestinian detainees since October 7, 2023, prompting growing demands for an independent international investigation.

These allegations were submitted by the Palestinian Return Centre (PRC), a UK-based organization with consultative status at the UN Economic and Social Council, as reported by The National. The testimony is based on evidence gathered by Khaled Mahajneh, a lawyer linked to the Palestinian Authority’s Commission for Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs, highlighting a significant rise in systematic mistreatment.

Reported abuses include severe beatings, deliberate starvation, prolonged painful suspension, medical neglect causing deaths, dog attacks, and amputations performed without anesthesia. The PRC also detailed a documented case of rape by an Israeli prison guard. These claims have been supported by respected human rights groups such as Physicians for Human Rights–Israel and B’Tselem.

Many detainees from Gaza are held in secret military sites like Anatot and Sde Teiman camps, where legal oversight is reportedly absent, and detainees lack access to lawyers or visits from the International Committee of the Red Cross.

The PRC accused Israeli authorities of using terms like “unlawful combatants” and “terrorists” to avoid international humanitarian rules and called for an immediate, independent global inquiry into the alleged torture and sexual violence. It urged that these allegations be considered by the International Criminal Court.

Finally, the PRC appealed to the global community to pressure Israel to adhere to international prisoner treatment standards, warning that silence or mere symbolic criticism amounts to political complicity in ongoing violations.

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