The United Nations Human Rights Office concluded that Palestinians abducted from Gaza since October 7 have been tortured.
The UN report gathered testimony from men, women, and children who had been detained, who described being “held in cage-like facilities, stripped naked for prolonged periods, wearing only diapers.”
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk has lately said testimony received by his office suggested Israeli authorities have inflicted “appalling acts” on Palestinians, including “waterboarding and the release of dogs.”
Many have been held without charge or access to a lawyer and in “deplorable conditions,” the report added.
“The testimonies gathered by my office and other entities indicate a range of appalling acts, such as waterboarding and the release of dogs on detainees, amongst other acts, in flagrant violation of international human rights law and international humanitarian law,” Turk stressed.
The report indicated that “at least 53 Palestinian detainees” have died in Israeli detention facilities. The 23-page document also highlighted “allegations of torture and other forms of cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment,” including sexual abuse of both women and men. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk expressed grave concern about the large number of individuals detained.
In Gaza, the majority of those detained are men and adolescent boys. Many were abducted while seeking refuge in schools, hospitals, and residential buildings, or at checkpoints as they were forcibly displaced from the north to the south of the territory, according to the report.
Severe conditions in military detention facilities, with children held with adults
In further detail, the report indicated that conditions in military-run detention facilities are particularly severe, with children sometimes held alongside adults. Their testimonies describe enduring prolonged blindfolding, deprivation of food, sleep, and water, as well as being subjected to electric shocks and burns from cigarettes. Some detainees also reported that dogs were unleashed on them, undergoing waterboarding, and being suspended from the ceiling with their hands tied. Additionally, both women and men reported experiencing sexual and gender-based violence.
“International humanitarian law protects all those being held, requiring their humane treatment and protection against all acts of violence or threats thereof,” said Turk.
“International law requires that all those deprived of their liberty be treated with humanity and dignity, and it strictly prohibits torture or other ill-treatment, including rape and other forms of sexual violence. Secret, prolonged incommunicado detention may also amount to a form of torture,” he added.
The High Commissioner renewed his demand for the immediate release of all Palestinians arbitrarily detained by “Israel”. He also called for prompt, thorough, independent, and transparent investigations into all incidents involving serious violations of international law, ensuring that perpetrators are held accountable and that victims and their families receive justice and reparations.
It is worth noting that “Israel” has detained at least 5,000 Palestinians since October 2023. The fate and detention conditions of many of these individuals remain unknown, according to the Gaza Media Office.
